Professional Health Care Services, Inc.

Posts Tagged ‘Aging’

Beware of Elderly Abuse (Part 2)

Saturday, November 14th, 2009

Different Types of Elderly Abuse
The elder members of our society are prone to abuse of any kind. Because of their age, they become physically and sometimes mentally weak, and because of this there are conscienceless individual who take advantage of this weakness.

Abuse of elders can be of different forms. This may be physical, emotional, or sexual abuse. Some of these abuse involves intimidation or threats against the elderly, some involving neglect, and others involving financial deception.

Physical abuse
Physical abuse occurs when a person touches an elderly person in a hurtful way or a non-accidental use of force against a senior citizen that would result to physical pain, injury or impairment. This type of abuse includes not only hitting, pinching, kicking, punching, hair pulling, biting, and burning with cigarettes but also the inappropriate use of drugs, restraints, or confinement.

Many of these types of physical abuse will go unnoticed by others because it is often assumed the elderly person has bumped his or herself and bruises easily. Family, friends and health care professionals should be observant for the possible indication of physical abuse no matter whom their caregiver is or where the elder stay.

Emotional abuse
This is also called psychological abuse. Psychological or emotional abuse occurs when a person causes mental or emotional pain, distress, suffering, or anguish to an elder. Emotional abuse can be inflicted consciously or unknowingly. Emotional abuse can be in verbal form which includes insulting, threatening, humiliating, intimidating, or harassing through words or actions. It could also be in non-verbal form like, giving silent treatment, or isolating him from family members, friends, or his regular activities.

Sexual abuse
(more…)

Tags: Abuse, Aging, Elderly, Health Care, senior citizens
Posted in All About Caring, Health Alert News | 1 Comment »

Beware of Elder Abuse (Part 1)

Saturday, November 7th, 2009

Your elderly parents are not only vulnerable to sickness, but also to elder abuse. That is because, as elders become more physically weak, they are less able to defend their selves to bullying or fight back if they are attacked. As their senses weaken, it leaves them at risk to unscrupulous people that would take advantage of them.

Elder abuse are sometimes deliberate and sometimes because of ignorance. According to the statistics, more than 10,000 of elderly across the United States are being abused everyday in some substantial way, mostly by the people who directly responsible for their care. Every year, more than half a million report of abuse against elderly reached American authorities every year and millions of more cases go unreported.

Most of the elder abuse takes place where the senior live. If they are at home, abusers might be the adult children, other family members such as grandchildren or spouses or partners of the elders. Live-in caregivers may also be the abusers of the elderly. Institutional setting especially long-term facilities can also be sources of elder abuse.
There are cases that a bedridden elderly has bedsores and severely malnourished and dehydrated. This kind of abuse is called neglect. There are many forms elderly abuse; it could be a physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect or abandonment by caregivers, financial exploitation and healthcare fraud and abuse.

If we have elderly parents or relative, we have to be watchful and pay attention to them. They might be a victim or would be a victim of elderly abuse. On next the next post we will discuss the different kind of elderly abuse and its signs and symptoms.

- Home Care from Professional Health Care Services, Inc. (PHCSI)

Tags: Aging, elder abuse, Health Care, senior citizens
Posted in All About Caring, Health Alert News | No Comments »

Switching Roles: When It Is Your Time To Do The Caring

Tuesday, October 27th, 2009

They took care of you, fed you, and sent you to school. But what can you do when they cannot take care of themselves anymore?

I when I was a child I thought that my parents would live forever. They were there when you took your first steps, sent you off to college, see you married and have children of your own. But looking at them now, they were just a shadow of robust individual you took shelter to when you are younger. Then you have to realize that it is your time to do the caring. The role had been switched, this time you are the one to provide the shelter.

It is a difficult task, for sure, but with the right mindset and enough preparation you will be able to provide the care needed by your elderly parents.

Open Communication
In general, it is very difficult for parents to talk about getting old and becoming dependent. Some find it hard to talk about their aging because they realize that they are getting helpless and useless. We have to remember that they are the one who were in control of us when were growing up, so it hard for them to acknowledge that now, you are the one taking care of them.
Establish a communication line with your parent. Have some “bonding” moment with them, for example, once a week you sit down on a meal together or go to church with them. It doesn’t have to be expensive. The important thing is you get to be closer to your parents, and that will make it easier for you to talk to them about their aging, and easier for them to accept it.

Ask for their input
Becoming useless and worthless is the most feared part of being elderly. Ask for their opinion on some decisions you have to make, it could be an opinion to some trivial decision or to an important decision to make. This will make them feel needed and useful.

Keep In Touch
The best way to make sure your parents are aging well is to be around. But if they are not living with you, keep in touch by calling or visiting them on weekends. Ask your parents if you can accompany them to doctors’ visits to keep you updated with their current condition.

Pay Attention
No matter what your parents say, you should always be on the lookout for the subtle signs that tell that they needed help. There are lots of signs to watch for. Social isolation is one of them. If your elderly parent refuses to leave the house and doesn’t socialize anymore, this is an alarm symptom. This could lead to a depression, or maybe has an illness that hasn’t been diagnosed. You should also pay close attention to their sleeping and eating patterns, mood changes, manners of doing their daily chores and memory loss.

Tags: Aging, Care, Elderly, Parents
Posted in All About Caring | No Comments »

Tips in Avoiding Forgetfulness

Monday, October 26th, 2009

Being an elderly is not an excuse in becoming forgetful. Remember that aging doesn’t have to be equated with forgetfulness. As individuals reach their 70’s, it may take the brain longer to retrieve stored bits of information from part of the long-term memory. But when they’re not rushed, older people can remember as a well as anyone.

Here are ways to avoid the slowdown of memory, thus avoiding forgetfulness:

Exercise: Regular exercise can enhance the memory by improving blood flow. When the brain cell receives enough oxygen blood flow, with its oxygen and nutrients, a person is less likely to experience memory or concentration problem. Studies show that aerobic exercise improves mental capabilities. Some studies find memories are stored better after exercise.
Develop stimulating interest: Learning new things or seeking out new experiences may be able to protect you from Alzheimer’s disease, but they will sharpen a healthy mind. People who are intensely involved in life retain their intellectual capabilities better than that mental couch potato. Your mental capabilities will decrease rapidly with age if your favorite pastime is sitting and doing nothing. A person who stops solving problems will reach the point where they can’t solve problems.
Be Flexible: The mental functions of rigid people decline earlier in life. Don’t settle into a rut in your old age. Flexibility in midlife is a good indicator of reduced risk of mental decline later in life.
Have a positive outlook: When you engage life in relaxed attitude, doors open for you. You will be aided by an inner strength and be able to remain calm in difficult situations. Relaxing also helps the recall of memories
Be organized: Setting up daily routines lightens the load on your memory and free it for more important tasks. For example, always put a key in the same place in your bag. The more orderly you are about life, the better you will be able to recall.

- Professional Health Care Services, Inc. (PHCSI)

Tags: Aging, Forgetfullness
Posted in Health Alert News | No Comments »