Taking care of older persons

One of the benefits I reap from handling this column is that it brings so many good people into my life.

One of such people is Dr Nimat Bola Idris.

Sometime in January, I saw a flyer about an online course on caregiving on her WhatsApp status. I signified my interest.

Coincidentally, Dr Nimat Bola Idris is the Director, Kwara State University Senior Citizens Centre.

I went through the course and got a certificate.

What really is caregiving? It is providing physical, emotional or practical assistance to someone who cannot fully care for themselves due to age, illness or disability.

There are informal caregivers, such as relatives or friends, who provide unpaid support for loved ones.

There are formal caregivers, such as trained, paid professionals working in homes, hospitals or nursing facilities.

This topic is to commemorate the International Day of Older Persons on October 1.

The United Nations General Assembly established the day in December 1990 via Resolution 45/106, and the first global observance took place on October 1, 1991.

Governments, non-governmental organisations, community groups and health agencies across the globe, including the World Health Organisation and international advocacy networks, host events, discussions and campaigns on this date.

In its essence, the International Day of Older Persons fulfils three vital functions.

One, it is a day of celebration. It is a chance to acknowledge the extent to which older people enrich our lives. They maintain traditions, raise families, mentor the next generation and remain contributors in countless other ways.

Second, it exposes the difficulties they confront. Many older adults already navigate chronic illness and isolation, too, at times.

The World Health Organisation also reports that one in six older adults experiences some form of abuse. This is a fact that requires both our attention and action.

And third, it is a call to action for policymakers. It is a reminder to governments and organisations to invest in age-friendly healthcare and more robust social security systems.

There are eight essential needs of elderly people. They broadly categorise all areas and types of needs they may have due to increasing age.

The list is as follows:

Health, safety, emotional and social well-being, nutrition, finance, cognitive and mental stimulation, mobility, recreation and purpose.

Addressing the eight needs above is necessary to ensure the long, healthy and motivated lives of your elderly loved ones.

We all have older people around us, and not all of them are placed in the care of formal caregivers. Let us discuss how to care for them:

1. Ensure proper nutrition and hydration

When learning how to care for older people, their nutritional and hydration needs become basic.

Elderly people often experience a loss of appetite, several food restrictions due to medical conditions, changing likes and dislikes, and several deficiencies.

Consulting a doctor and dietitian in such cases and then following their advice becomes important to ensure a balanced diet for the elderly.

2. Encourage regular exercise

Physical activity is important for all ages but especially for the elderly, as ageing comes with growing challenges with mobility, strength and balance.

Regular doctor consultations and asking for ideal exercises for the elderly are important.

3. Provide a safe and comfortable living environment

Providing safety to the elderly means preventing falls, protecting them from scams and cheats, and being prepared for emergencies, which are essential when taking care of older people.

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Anti-slip mats, grab bars in bathrooms and footlights are some ways to prevent falls. Also, one should ensure a clutter-free space for them to walk and move around with mobility aids.

Furthermore, a proper emergency support system, such as alarm systems, CCTV cameras, security and regular checks, should be in place to ensure immediate help.

4. Support mental and emotional well-being

Mental health conditions and disorders like anxiety and depression are common among elderly people.

It is important for them to interact with people, engage in activities, find purpose and receive geriatric counselling regularly.

Engaging them in new skill classes, hobby classes, or clubs can be a good way for them to find a purpose, make new friends and spend time.

5. Assist with personal care and hygiene

Older people may struggle with personal care and hygiene over time.

Change the bathroom setting to hand showers, handrails, raised platforms for buckets and a waterproof stool or a chair to sit and shower on.

Some elderly people may require professional assisted-living services for daily care tasks such as help with bathing, grooming and dressing.

Whether you are getting professional assistance or providing family assistance, it is important to respect their privacy and dignity when taking care of them.

6. Monitor medication and healthcare needs

Understanding medical and healthcare needs is essential to learning how to take care of older persons.

Elderly people often take multiple medicines at different times of the day, so medication management becomes necessary.

Supervision is required to ensure correct medicine administration. Also, regular health check-ups and vital checks are necessary for the elderly, depending on their health condition.

7. Encourage social engagement

Providing social engagement for the elderly is extremely necessary for their mental wellness.

Organising planned activities, events or get-togethers for them with people of their age and their loved ones can encourage them to participate and stay involved.

Involving them in community activities or hobby clubs can also be helpful in giving them a social circle of their liking.

8. Ensure proper rest and sleep

Insomnia is a common issue among elderly people. It is thus important to maintain good sleep hygiene and a timely sleep cycle to ensure proper rest.

So, one way of taking care of elderly people is to ensure that they maintain their sleep routine by providing them with the ideal environment to relax at night and engage during the day to stop them from engaging in too much daytime napping.

9. Provide transportation and mobility support

Since mobility is a common problem and restricts most elderly people, providing them access to comfortable and easy transportation is needed.

Family assistance, on-call transport facilities, training to use app cabs and providing senior transportation programmes are some ways to support elderly people.

10. Offer financial and legal assistance

One important consideration often missed when answering how to care for older people is their financial requirements.

Elderly people have several concerns related to finance. They require assistance with their pensions, savings, healthcare, taxes, etc.

It is important for them to receive safe and professional assistance with financial and legal processes from trusted sources.

A study titled Care of the Elderly in Nigeria: Implications for Policy by Perpetua Lum Tanyi et al. concludes that to improve the living conditions of elderly persons in Nigeria, there is a need for urgent policy engineering and a refocus on the issues of older persons.

This can be done by restructuring the pension scheme and other social policies in Nigeria to favour elderly people, including those who never worked in any government establishments.

Lastly, in caregiving etiquette, people are not called “old people” because the label often carries negative stereotypes and reinforces ageism by reducing a unique individual to assumptions of frailty or decline.

The preferred terms are “older adults” or “older people”. Sometimes, they are referred to as “senior citizens” too.