See also:
Care Choices
Independence
Monitors
Medicine
Mobility
|
Elder Living
With all of the advances in medical science
and the improvements in food,
clothing, and
housing, people today live much
longer and
enjoy much more time in what
used to be called
the declining years. This increased
time
has allowed for a wide array
of options for
meeting the needs of elder care
at each stage
of life whether for yourself
or your parents.
- Nursing Homes provide full-time staffing and assistance
to elderly patients much like
a hospital
but in a setting more like
a hotel. They
care for those otherwise unable
to care for
themselves.
- Assisted Living centers may be small group homes or larger
apartment buildings that retain
around the
clock staff to monitor medical
regiments
and handle the labor intensive
duties of
laundry, cleaning, and meal
preparation.
Most centers have dining halls,
community
social activities, and regular,
group excursions
to stores and entertainment.
- Home Care Providers visit the elderly in their own homes and
take care of regular household
tasks of cleaning,
cooking, and laundry or just
plain provide
companionship. Visiting nurses
and certified
medical providers can monitor
health and
administer medications.
- Retirement Communities are housing developments populated by people
generally 55 and older. Often the houses
have features of benefit to older residents
like lever door handles, single level floor
plans, rockerpanel light switches, and indoor
activated lights visible from the front street
that signal a need for help. They generally
have community centers that cater to the
interests of retired couples and sport facilities
like swimming pools and golf courses.
- Medical Alarms can be added to any home to monitor the
well being of its inhabitants
and provide
immediate medical, fire, and
police response
in case of emergencies. They
provide many
of the advantages of continuous
care without
the cost of full-time attendants
and without
interfering with independence.
|
|
|
