ResourcesElderly Section H1N1 info
By: Nhor Latinovich - Director
LLE, Inc. Caregiver and Manager Training School
Elderly Living in a Group Home Settings
The elderly are at a high risk for injury, illness, and psychiatric or psychological disorders. Very often it is the psychological and cognitive needs that bring the elderly to a group home. Dementia, memory loss, delirium, depression, anxiety and aggression are one or more of the factors why a family decides to seek the help of an assisted living home setting.
Being in a group home is not too far being in your own home, as one member of the family of our client once said ‘it’s an extension of their home”. Assisted living homes are offering a different kind of “homey” atmosphere, so the residents would feel as if they didn’t leave home at all. The difference of the group homes are equipped with wheelchair ramps, grab bars, especial equipments like bedside commode, shower bench, toilet seat raised according to your comfort and you have a personal assistant who will help you out. Imagine you don’t need to cook, clean the house, do the dishes and laundry, take out the trash and other household chores you used to do when you were living in your own home. It would be nice, as soon as you get up in the morning coffee is brewing, the food is ready to serve, news paper is waiting for you, shower is set, clean clothes are folded, your favorite game show is on, assistance on your medications and other activities are being prepared for you, don’t you think you deserve to be assisted with all the everyday demands?
Elderly inappropriate behavior tends to escalate as a result of damage to the brain and body caused by: a) certain deficiencies, certain medications, vitamins or dehydration.
b) effect of physical or mental health problems such as infection,
constipation or Alzheimer’s disease.
c) physical or emotional trauma
Changes expected due to the process of aging.
Most common sensory changes are:
Vision: focusing takes longer and eventually we need reading glasses.
Deterioration of depth and distance perception
Clouding of the lenses
Hearing: decline in ability to hear
Hypersensitivity to loud speech
Loss of ability to localize where the sound is coming from
Self-isolation result due to not knowing what conversation is going on around them.
Bodily system: renal, pulmonary, endocrine, cardiovascular, neuro, immune
Musculoskeletal.
Osteoporosis due to reduction of estrogen (female)
Lack of weight bearing exercise (walking)
Lack of absorption of nutrients in diet and supplements
“brittle bones” called by most lay people
Diseases and Chronic Conditions: immunity decreases
Illnesses may be acute or chronic
Some common conditions such as arthritis, hypertension/stroke,
Parkinson’s, advance MS, Alzheimer, Diabetes, Bladder and/or bowel Incontinence,
malnutrition, dehydration.
When a person is admitted to a facility, even with family support; that person has emotional feelings that may surface in a negative display of behavior and feelings of confusion, loss, uselessness, abandonment and hopelessness.
Disruptive behavior is usually associated with dementia conditions but can be an indication of a physical problem. This type of behavior can be an indication of a chronic condition or “something is wrong”. Physical problems are most often acted out in “bad behavior” or aggression especially in conditions with dementia, physical ailments often go unnoticed due to inability of the older person to articulate needs.
Care for the elderly population should always focus on providing the kind of care that will protect dignity, enhance and maintain a satisfying quality of life and preserve function for as long as possible.
Nhor Latinovich is the founder and director of Leisure living for the Elderly, Inc. She is also a Board Certified Manager and Program Trainer for all levels of care and manager by the State of Arizona.
Training Program is approved and certified by Arizona State Board Private PostSecondary Education
Contact us today at: (480) 332-2422