Blog #4 - Elderly Abuse

Nursing home abuse is a growing concern. Approximately 2.1 million older Americans are victims of physical, psychological, or other forms of abuse and neglect. It is concluded that elders who experience abuse, tend to die earlier that those who are not abused. Elder abuse is physical, emotional or physiological harm on an older adult. Physical abuse can be slapping, shoving and restraining with ropes and chains. When a caregiver uses force to cause pain or injury, even if the reason is to help the older person, the behavior can be regarded as abusive. Physical abuse included hitting, beating, pushing, kicking, pinching, burning, biting, over-or under medicating, withholding food, or exposing the person to severe weather conditions.


Emotional or psychological abuse can include name-calling, giving the silent treatment, insults and threats, treating the older person like a child, isolating the person from family, friends, and regular activities by force or threats or through manipulation. Abusive behavior is when a family member, a caregiver, or another person causes fear, mental anguish, and emotional pain or distress.


Sexual abuse is contact with an elderly person without the elder’s consent. This includes physical sex acts, showing pornographic pictures and forcing the elder to undress.


In every state physical, sexual and financial abuses among elders violate laws against assault, rape, theft, and other offenses are punishable as crimes. Most times elders do not report their abuse because they fear the outcome of it and also the fear that no one will want to take care of them, if they report the abuser. If the caregiver happens to be the elderly children then they feel ashamed to report the incidence because somehow they end up blaming themselves for the abuse, for example; they say if they were a better parent then this would not be happening to them.


Work Cited
http://www.geocities.com/~elderly-place/abuse.html

http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/abuse.html

Blog #3 - Adult Day Care

Adult Day Care has been in existence for over 20 years. These centers were designed in mind to give a break to caregivers such as family members who are caring for their loved one day and night. They also provide health services, therapeutic services, and social activities for people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia, chronic illnesses, traumatic brain injuries, developmental disabilities, and other associated problems that the elderly might developed. There are adult day care centers that are specially catered to the dementia population.


Adult Day Care gives caregivers an opportunity to pursue a career outside of the house, get assistance for their loved one and most importantly not feeling as if you have let down your loved one by placing them in an institutional care. The elderly also benefit from this greatly. He or she can still see and be in the presence and comfort of their family and environment. At the adult day care, the elderly can socialize with others of their same age status, engage in activities, receive speech or physical therapy and get help with any activities.


To get an overview of the adult day care, a day there can consist of; supervised care, small group and individual activities such as reminiscence, sensory stimulation, music, art and intergenerational activities; nutritious meals; transportation; case management; recreation and exercise; nursing care; education; family counseling; assistance with activities of daily living; and occupational, speech and physical therapies. These services are tailored according to each of the elderly needs.


There are three types of adult day care. (1) Adult day social care provides social activities, meals, recreation, and some health related services. (2) Adult day health care provides intensive health, therapeutic, and social services for individuals with severe medical problems and for those at risk of nursing home care. (3) Alzheimer’s specific adult day care provides social and health services only to persons with Alzheimer’s or related dementia.


According to Eldercare Online, one should seriously consider using an adult day care when an elderly; can no longer structure his or her own daily activities, is isolated and needs companionship, cannot safely be left at home and lives with someone who works outside the home or who is away from home.


There are many ways that you can go around looking for an adult day care. You can ask; your family doctor, local social services or health department, mental health centers, local senior centers, Area Agency on Aging (call 1-800-677-1116 for AAA in your area) and finally the Yellow pages listing under Adult Day Care Aging Services.



Work Cited

http://www.helpguide.org/elder/adult_day_care_centers.htm

http://www.blessedadultcare.org/

http://www.genuinecareadultctr.com/

Blog #2 - Elderly Care

Long term care is referred to as elderly care. It provides a variety of services to those who are unable to carry out their day to day activities because of cognitive impairment or not being physically able to do things for themselves. Due to the increase of the elderly population, health care information is needed to educate everyone on how an elderly person can live a helthier life.



Care for the elderly can be provided at home, in a community or in facilities such as assisted living, adult day care, long term care, nursing homes and hospice care. In my country, the elderly population is normally cared for by their family members. Both of my grandparents were cared for by my parents and as I can remember, sometimes I even helped out in the process. Due to the modernization of society, elderly care is now being provided by state or charitable institutions.


There are many ways that you can recognize that your loved one, who is an elderly, needs assistance. Some of the warning signs to look for are: difficulty walking, poor grooming, loss of appetite, spoiled or expired food in fridge, unable to drive, not interested in activities or socializing, poor concentration, memory loss, confused on which medication to take, fatigue, irritableness and poor maintenance of their home.


There are also websites that provides you with specific instructions on what your next step should be, if you are faced with a situation of providing long term care for your loved one. The website addresses are: ElderCareLink and HelpWithElders.com. There is also this website that has elderly accessories to make your loved one day to day life more comfortable, the website is http://www.solutions-for-seniors.info/.





Work Cited

http://www.rightathome.net/elderly-care.asp

What does Long Term Care means to me

Long Term Care means giving care to someone who is unable to do things for themselves in their day to day livihood. It can involve both physical and emotional needs, over a long period of time.


Things that an individual might need help in includes the following: bathroom assistance, dressing, walking, feeding, doing the laundry, personal grooming, hygiene, meals preparation, medical needs, physical or occupational therapy, supervision from wandering arround, errands such as shopping and attending to doctors' appointments.


Someone who needs Long Term Care might possess a terminal condition, disable, illness, injury or because of his or her aging status. Long Term Care does not only have to be provided in a nursing home, it can be provided in the individuals' home, a family member or friend home, an adult day care, an assisted living facility or in a hospice facility. If care is received by a family member or a friend in the individuals' home, then that type of care is referred to as informal care. Informal care are usually given by family members, daughter-in-laws and friends. Formal care are usually given by professionals or volunteers that are being paid and this can also be given in an in home setting. Long Term Care does not necessarily have to be in a facility. There are professionals who do in home care.

What does LTC means to me.