Elderly Care: There is a huge chasm that exists in this country when it comes to elder care.
If you were to ask a number of people on the street if they could define elderly care, they might have a wide range of answers, but mostly focused on supporting seniors to some degree.
That’s great, but what most people don’t realize is the vast variety of elder care options available to those same seniors. The first thing a lot of people might think about are nursing homes. However, most elderly men and women would prefer to remain at home, even if they need regular, consistent help, even direct medical attention, which is what most people associate nursing homes with.
This simply highlights the large gap that exists between knowledge and understanding. You can have knowledge about something, even in a general sense, but have no understanding about how it works, the benefits it might offer, or how it may apply to you or somebody you care about.
This is a gap that American society needs to work on narrowing, and there is an effective way to do that.
For those with aging seniors in their families, talk about elder care openly.
In some circles, elder care is a taboo topic. An aging senior may not want to discuss it with their adult daughter or son, grandchildren, or even their spouse. The topic may come up, especially when family and friends notice a decline in physical abilities or chronic health issues on the rise, but the senior wants to truncate those conversations as quickly as possible.
This happens mostly because the senior would view elder care as meaning a loss of independence and autonomy. That certainly doesn’t have to be the case, but if most people think of nursing homes when the topic of elder care comes up, that is clouding their judgment.
What does elderly care refer to?
Any support or service that assists elderly men and women, either in their home or in a facility. Yes, it can include nursing homes, but it also includes independent living communities, assisted living facilities, and in-home care support services, among others.
Because more seniors prefer to age in place, meaning they want to remain home, even if they require ongoing or significant care, home care is the best option.
When family and even friends sit down and talk to seniors about elderly care, make sure to include home care as one of the best options available. An aging senior who has difficulty just getting out of bed in the morning, getting dressed, and performing certain tasks throughout the day doesn’t need to move, if they don’t want to, in most cases.
They could depend on an in-home care aide to assist them for a few hours at a time, even, to help them take care of those tasks that have become much more difficult due to injuries, health emergencies, age, or other factors.
The more we talk about elderly care, the narrower that gap can become between knowledge and understanding.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Elderly Care in Wilsonville, OR, please contact the caring staff at Integrity In-Home Care. Call today (503) 660-3755
