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According to research, the lifestyle and behavior of older people have a number of distinctive features:

• loss of self-realization, isolation from society;
• loneliness – with age, people lose friends and relatives, associates and loved ones leave, children build their own lives. Older people lose the opportunity to communicate, help as much as they can, constantly move and act;
• as a result of the loss of social connections, vital interest in the surrounding world and in oneself, in particular, is lost;
• psychological defense – suppression of mental, emotional, and vital activity, which usually provides short-term peace of mind, but can become destructive in old age;
• caution, thrift and accumulation – older people always live in the present, their past, like the future, is always with them, in the present. They plan events in advance and prepare themselves mentally for them;
• touchiness, irascibility, sullenness, greed - negative qualities hidden in youth become apparent in old age;
• doubts, anxiety, depression as a result of deep immersion in one's illnesses and lack of self-confidence.

However, negative mental characteristics are one side of the coin. Research in gerontology shows a variety of positive manifestations of elderly people in social life.

General care for elderly and geriatric patients

To care for elderly people at home, relatives and friends need some knowledge. After all, most of them by their venerable age already have a number of chronic diseases and need not only care, but also medical procedures. Caring for a sick elderly person: for example, seriously ill or hard of hearing will be somewhat different from caring for a healthy pensioner.

Be tactful and patient when home" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://prolifehc.com/contact.php">home health care elderly person. Remember that you are dealing with an adult, not a child. Indeed, sometimes a pensioner can behave like a child, be stubborn, be capricious. It is important to find the right words, explain, persuade; harshness and confrontation will not solve the problems.

The care plan for the elderly includes:

• creating a comfortable environment for an elderly relative - the temperature in the room should be comfortable, not lower than 20 degrees, a comfortable bed so that when sitting he can put his feet on the floor, the presence of a bedside table, good lighting;
• mobility aids – falls are not uncommon at this age, so it is necessary to provide handrails and handles along the way. Use rubber mats and seats in the bathroom. It is advisable to lay a carpet on the floor in the room to prevent slipping and falling;
• adherence to a sleep and rest regimen - the duration of sleep should be at least 7 hours. Often, elderly people like to take a nap during the day, which is why they cannot fall asleep at night. Try to provide the elderly with active time during the day, so that by the evening there is a natural desire to sleep. When caring for elderly patients with insomnia, its causes should be taken into account and the patient should be clearly explained that it is not worth getting carried away with sleeping pills - this leads to addiction;
• Personal hygiene is also included in the care plan for the elderly - oral care, facial and body skin care, intimate area and foot hygiene. It is recommended to shower daily and bathe 1-2 times a week; trim nails, if any - calluses; daily shave, haircut once a month. A special topic is hygiene in case of urinary incontinence. Many elderly people have this problem. Therefore, regular showering is necessary not only for him for hygienic reasons, but also for the comfort of others;
• taking medications – memory often fails and patients forget to take medications, so relatives should take on this part of care;
• quality of life of the elderly – largely depends on the people around them. The ability to communicate, provide psychological support, ensure quality care, help with organizing leisure time – that’s all that elderly people need! It is important to understand that now in front of you is a helpless old man, but once it was a young, healthy, respected person who studied, worked, raised children, and was useful to society. Awareness of one’s need for family, friends, comrades will prolong his activity and brighten up aging.