What is the content of daily care for the elderly?

To put it bluntly, the core of daily care for the elderly is to focus on the elderly’s physical condition and living habits, covering all aspects of care including food, clothing, housing, transportation, chronic disease management, and psychological support. There are not as many high-level professional operations as everyone thinks, and most of them are small things that are implemented in practice. I have been working as a caregiver in a community nursing home for four years. I have met too many family members who come up and ask me what certification they need to take and how much first aid knowledge they need to learn. In fact, there is really no need to be so anxious. For example, the 73-year-old Uncle Wang who I took care of before has high blood pressure and deafness. The most important thing in nursing care is not to stare at the blood pressure monitor every day, but to add 3 grams less salt when cooking, to watch TV loud enough for him to not make it too noisy, to replace the medicine box with a large font with a reminder sound, and to put on a hat and scarf for him before going for a walk. This is better than anything else. There is also Aunt Chen who I met before. She has degenerative lesions in her knees and it hurts after walking for a long time. When we take her out for walks, we usually bring a folding pony with us. After walking for more than ten minutes, we let her sit down and take a rest. When we get home, we will help her press the acupoints around her knees, which is much more effective than asking her to take painkillers.

There are two different opinions in the industry. One thinks that the elderly should enjoy a happy life when they are older, and should not be allowed to do any work. The other thinks that as long as the elderly can still move, they should be allowed to do something within their ability, such as putting away bowls after dinner and watering flowers. Even if they are done slowly or even throw the bowl occasionally, it is better than not being allowed to do anything. Otherwise, the elderly will easily feel that they are a burden, and their energy will decline quickly. In fact, there is no absolute right or wrong between the two. If the elderly are already semi-incapacitated and bedridden, they must provide comprehensive daily care. Turning over every two hours and wiping themselves to prevent bedsores are indispensable. If they can still walk and eat on their own, it would be better to give them more independent space.

Don’t just focus on eating and drinking. You should also pay attention to small safety matters. For example, it is best to install handrails in the bathroom at home. Test the temperature of the bath water before letting the elderly in. Many elderly people are not sensitive to temperature. Young people may not feel it when 45-degree water is hot. They may not feel it and get burned accidentally. Also, the elderly must buy soft-soled shoes that fit well. Don’t buy shoes with heels just to look good. It’s not a trivial matter if you fall.

Chronic disease management is also a major part of daily care. The usual blood pressure and blood sugar values ​​should be recorded in a small notebook and shown to the doctor when going to the hospital for review. This is much more effective than an impromptu check-up. If the elderly have a bad memory, pack the medicine in morning, noon and evening packages, and put a big label on it to prevent him from taking the wrong medicine or missing it. As for psychological care, it's even more complicated. For example, if the old man is thinking about his old colleagues, he will arrange to have tea with him. If he wants to go back to his hometown to visit, he can go back with him for a walk when he has time. Don't always think that "taking care of food and drink is enough." If you feel comfortable, your minor physical problems will be reduced by half. In fact, to put it bluntly, the daily care of the elderly is like taking care of an old potted plant. You can't just water it. You have to know whether it likes yin or yang, how often you need to fertilize it, and follow its temperament, so that you can keep it energetic.