Care for the Aged

I don't believe one grows older. I think that what happens early on in life is that at a certain age one stands still and stagnates.

- T.S. Eliot



It is always an attribute of humans to be associated with a family throughout his life. From infancy, early childhood, adolescence, and old age, we always are connected to our family. Maybe there are times where individuals value and seek independence from their “family of origin” to journey into the vastness of life, but when the sunset comes, we always long for care from a family.

Following the great development in medical technology and improved health care, studies show that people are seen to live longer. In the United States alone, more than 43 million Americans are above sixty years old and this number is expected to double by 2030.

Caring for the elderly has always been a primordial task of the children or the younger relatives. However, due to our current lifestyle, it is often considered a burden for the young, especially working professionals to take care of their elderly. Caring for the elderly is simply not easy and requires too much time and attention. Old people have lots of issues, they tend to be emotional, lonely, and deprived, not to mention loads of physical deterioration and mental health problems.

Red Flags

In caring for the elderly, one must be very vigilant to detect signs of impending risk and dangers; as well as formulate preventive measures for such occurrences.

• Weight loss. This could be caused by lack of appetite or sleep and are common signs of more serious medical conditions.


• General forgetfulness. Missing appointments, forgetting names, places, meal times, and other task normally are done by the patient regularly indicates mental problems that may be caused by old age or other illnesses.


• Personal hygiene. Deterioration of personal care capabilities like bathing, shaving, wearing of dentures, could be signs of physical and mental problems.


• Disorientation. Consistent disorientation like forgetting oneself, family members, and talking to someone not there is a cry for help.


• Paranoia. Suspiciousness and ungrounded fears is a danger sign of some thought disorder. The most common case is suspicions that family members and doctors are conspiring against him.


• Accidents. Accidents like burns, injuries, small fires, and overdose among others are dangerous signs that could be the result of forgetfulness, weakness, blackouts or dizziness.

Elderly Care Tips

• Professional care works for your advantage. There are many healthcare service providers that offer round-the-clock care and supervision for your elderly, especially when you are not at home.


• Prepare the house. When moving your elderly to a house, make sure the house is at least an accident-proof. There are many institutions you can approach for accident-proofing purposes. Devices like sensors or monitors are useful in monitoring your elderly remotely.


• Proper nutrition. Good nutrition is of vital importance, especially to elderly. Carefully structured menus and diet regimen helps prevent diseases and promote over-all health. A certified nutrition expert could be consulted in this regard.


• Medical care. Elderly are prone to lots of diseases due to weak immune system and old age. A regular check-up and proper dosage of medicine are vital in elderly care.


• Recreation. Always include recreation for caring elderly people. Elderly people are most of the time emotionally unstable and a good recreation activity can be effective in relieving such burden.


• Exercise regimen. Although elder people are generally weak, this does not mean exercise is not good for them. In fact, a carefully planned exercise regimen is recommended for elderly to help maintain overall health. A simple walk in the park could be a good form of exercise, just keep them mobile.


• Talk to them. Elderly people need someone to talk to. They are bored and needs a companion. Just listen and talk to some stories or news to them.

Elderly needs all the help we can offer and all the love we can give. It is also but fitting that we should take care of our elderly as they took good care of us when we were young with the hope that we can also receive such good treatments when our own sunset comes.