With every day that passes, we all get a day older and this means that our bodies undergo several physiological changes. Because of these changes, bodies of the senior citizens do not respond to certain things such as medications, foods and treatments the same way as when they were younger. Getting to old age does not mean that has life comes to a halt; instead, it marks the beginning of another stage.
Although certain aspects of their life will gradually reduce for example physical exercise, they still have to lead a quality life. A distinctive type of healthcare personalized for the elderly aims to address all the issues that affect them in their later life. This type of healthcare is clinically known as geriatrics. This article embarks on demystifying this special type of caregiving.
Who Administers the Services?
A trained group of clinicians and professionals known as geriatricians administers geriatric services. They go through special training aimed at addressing the challenges that come with aging.
Geriatric care services are provided in our office
Some of those issues include memory loss, strained eyesight, poor hearing, loss of teeth, arthritis, and loose bladder, amongst many others. It is important to note that not all physicians are trained in handling such issues and this is where geriatricians come into play.
Who is Eligible for the Services?
Anyone who is sixty-five years of age and above is eligible for this type of service since beyond this age people are considered senior citizens. However, it is not limited to this because an individual, say of fifty years, still qualifies for geriatric services. This happens if the individual feels weak or the person has undergone some form of physical challenge that leaves them partially or fully incapacitated.
Benefits of Home Based Healthcare Services
These elderly personalized healthcare services come with lots of benefits for seniors. To begin with, they are encouraged to express themselves and this helps to improve their relationships with their loved ones. Upon stimulation of their rigid muscles, the elderly partially or fully regain their mobility, something that helps them do some chores on their own. Through psychosocial support offered by geriatricians, they are relieved of their stress so that they can continue leading a quality life. Through these services, these people get regular checks for underlying issues and this helps prolong their lives. In some instances, physicians in this field of medicine usually come to their patient’s homes, thus saving them the headache of traveling to the hospitals.
Old age comes with some form of mental issues because of loneliness and extended periods of just sitting around. This is where the practitioners come in, to help alleviate their patients’ psychological problems. In addition to this, geriatric services help patients adopt a healthy diet and this culminates to prolonged lives.
Where to Find the Services
Usually, these services can be accessed in most homes that cater to elderly patients. In this case, you would have to drive your senior loved one to such homes and pick them up after the checkup or treatment. In cases where your loved one has a serious cognitive impairment, you can call to order hospice care. The physician will come to your home and attend to your old loved one thereby saving you the stress of driving to the hospital or having to stick around.
How to Prepare For Home Based Healthcare
One major concern most people have regarding geriatric care is whether they go hand in hand or replace the general family doctors’ care. On the contrary, a home-based healthcare provider and a family doctor complement each other in their services. As you arrange for a home-based care for your aged loved one, certain preparations should be made to make the best out of the appointment. Avail all the prescriptions and medications to the provider so that they have a glimpse of what is ailing your patient. Disclose all the special considerations and information about the patient. This helps the patient get the best treatment based on their unique needs.
Healthcare care needs vary from one elderly person to another. What works for one may not work with a different patient. This explains the seriousness that is required when handling such groups of people. To ensure that nothing goes wrong and have peace of mind that your family member is in safe hands, ensure to get only the best services in town. You are wondering how to ensure that, right? Verify a provider’s licensing and go through their reviews and ratings.
