The aged or elderly have unique healthcare needs. While getting old is something to be celebrated, taking care of the elderly comes with its own share of unique challenges. While geriatric care has gotten better over the years as a specialized healthcare field, families of aged individuals still have to navigate lots of challenges to get their loved ones the much-needed care. In this post, we’ll explore some of the biggest challenges faced by families and professionals providing geriatric care and how to navigate them.
Multimorbidity and Polypharmacy
As a person ages, they’re likely to suffer from multiple chronic conditions. According to the CDC, more than 50% of older adults have two or more co-occurring chronic diseases. This can make things difficult for healthcare professionals who have to diagnose these multiple conditions and treat them. Sometimes, elderly patients have to take multiple medications, increasing their risk of drug reactions and interactions.
Consequently, the elderly often need to work with multiple healthcare professionals covering different specialities, but working in tandem to manage their health. Healthcare professionals need to have access to patient’s information and medication lists to administer the best and safest treatment plan possible. They should also work on simplifying the regimen whenever possible.
Finding Specialized Professional Care
Although Geriatrics has become more popular over the years, there’s still a scarcity of qualified professionals with the knowledge and experience required to care for the elderly effectively. A quick look at job boards with physician or nurse practitioner job openings shows that there’s a huge demand for healthcare professionals and caregivers for the elderly. Even when they have access to professional care, elderly patients may experience ageism and other forms of discrimination that may lead to inadequate care.
Caring for an elderly family member can be quite demanding, especially for family members who have to work or attend to other responsibilities. Most people have found that getting senior helper services that can assist their elderly with daily living activities goes a long way in freeing up valuable time for family members. Family members may also consider getting some education and basic training to improve their involvement in their relative’s care plan.
Cognitive Impairment
Elderly patients are susceptible to cognitive impairments linked to ageing such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. While these conditions are difficult to manage on their own, they can also complicate treatment for other conditions since communication with the patient or getting them to cooperate on treatment plans will be more challenging.
For such patients, family members and caregivers have to play an active role in patient care. They may also need to learn and devise effective strategies to communicate with the patient such as the use of simple language and visual aids to better understand their symptoms and concerns.
Financial Challenges
Geriatric care can be quite expensive. Many patients and their families simply don’t have enough to afford the efficient treatment for the many ailments that come with elderly life. Most people’s retirement plans also don’t cover the healthcare needs of seniors. In addition to the healthcare needs and the cost of hiring professional caregivers, there’s also a matter of managing day-to-day finances and bill payments.
To navigate these financial issues, it helps when the elderly can get access to government-funded assistance programs and comprehensive healthcare plans. This will help ease the financial burden of senior care later in life.
Social isolation and Mental Health
Many elderly patients tend to become socially isolated as they become older. Limited mobility and a shrinking circle can impact their ability to connect and interact with other people. The feeling of social isolation and loneliness that comes with growing older can impact the mental and physical well-being of seniors.
One way to navigate this challenge is to help patients connect with other people through community support groups, senior centers and social events organized specially for the elderly. Encouraging them to share their experience and knowledge with the younger generation will also give them a sense of purpose and improve their social participation.
End-Of-Life and Palliative Care
Managing death is an inevitable aspect of geriatric care. While most patients and their families know this subconsciously, it’s not a subject that it’s easy to deal with. When caring for the elderly, there’s a need to have conversations about end-of-life care and how it should be managed. Healthcare professionals should try as much as possible to discuss with the patient and their families about their options and help them navigate the process to ensure the best results possible.
Conclusion
As your loved ones age, ensuring they receive all the care and attention they deserve is often a top priority. Geriatric care comes with several physical, and emotional challenges. However, knowing what to look forward to and preparing well ahead of time will make it considerably easier to deal with the challenges that come with caring for the elderly.