In all life stages, we have a common goal: to have the highest possible quality of life. When you are dependent, it is difficult or practically impossible to do it yourself. Therefore, it is very valuable to have an environment or reliable person or team who helps you. Taking care of a person is not an easy task; it is important to be well-informed to ensure that we provide good care.
The Dependent Person
In case the dependent person does not have a supportive environment, and he cannot do everything he would like, a professional and qualified caregiver is essential to offer proper care for the dependent person. However, what is a dependent person? It is someone that for physical or mental reasons does not have sufficient autonomy to fend for himself in the performance of daily tasks.
The Importance of Adapting Care to Each Person
First, let us talk about the degrees of dependency. There are three degrees, which are mostly legally recognized and are roughly characterized by:
- Grade 1: person needs help once a day
- Grade 2: the person needs help 2-3 times a day
- Grade 3: the person needs constant help throughout the day
Nevertheless, within grade 3, for example, there may be a person who still has some mobility in the arms and hands, and another who is bedridden 24 hours a day. Each person is different, and so to properly care for a dependent person, we have to adapt to their specific needs.
How to Care for a Dependent Elderly Person
Above all, this covers your basic needs. To ensure a good quality of life, it is essential that all these, such as food, hygiene, and medication are at the top of the list of things to do. These are often closely linked to physical and vital issues.
Physical Needs of a Dependent Person
If we focus on physical needs, we must keep in mind several issues mainly. However, it is important to watch and listen to the dependent person to adjust to their needs. Below are the most common, but they are not all nor are they present in all dependent people.
Difficulty Getting Out of Bed
Many times this is a highly complex activity, but we can get a special bed for dependent people where it allows the backrest to be raised, like those in hospitals, and they facilitate this activity as well as giving satisfaction to the person by seeing that they can do it on their own.
Insecurity in the Bathroom
The bathroom must be made a safe place for the elderly. This is one of the places with the most slip and falls. You must be very attentive when a dependent person goes to the bathroom, but some of the things we can do to reduce risks are putting a chair and a handrail in the shower, raising the toilet seat and lowering the sink or putting a ramp. If the elderly person can’t walk, one solution is to get a dependent lift. It should be added that the elderly person will feel safe and secure in the shower.
Medication Control
There are times when dependent people cannot go to the pharmacy to fill a prescription or they no longer know which pills to take at what time. It is essential that the caregiver keep strict control of the medication.
Shoes and Clothing for Dependent People
If the elderly person can no longer walk, they do not need to wear hard-soled shoes. They should wear comfortable shoes adapted to the use. Along the same lines, sometimes there are pieces of clothing that do not facilitate movement. These are not the most suitable for those who do not have full autonomy. Sportswear, for example, is quite appropriate for people in a wheelchair, as opposed to skirts.
Relying On Someone
At each stage of life, our body requires a specific diet, as needs evolve. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the dependent person has a balanced diet. In addition, the elderly person must have someone to rely on, not just for companionship, but also for safety and security. This is true whether the person lives in one of the ideal senior living apartments or in a nursing home. It all depends on the severity of the person’s needs and dependency.