Caregiver for Elderly Patients - How They Make Your Life Better

Caregiver for elderly patients is a necessity if you are a busy family member unable to find time for their health. Many of us find ourselves too busy with life while caring for the financial needs of a family that we don't get the time and energy to care for a loved one. Thankfully, Emoha has several experienced professional caregivers for the elderly for you to hire. All of these caregivers are specially trained. They have all the qualities necessary to be the best companion for your elder.

Assess Medical Needs & Create Care Plan

An elder may have one ailment or many. He may be recovering from an injury or maybe undergoing surgery. Chronic diseases like diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer's, etc. might be making the elder dependent on someone else. In cases like that of cancer or during critical care, the patient is mostly on the verge of giving up on the hopes of treatment and recovery. No matter what the case, a caregiver for the elderly makes sure she understands the patient’s medical needs. It’s her responsibility to assess and note what medications the elder is taking, when they have their appointments with the doctor or for a procedure, etc. It is her responsibility to create a care plan where she can empathetically help the elder lead a better and happier life. The health and safety of the elder are the caregiver’s responsibility, which is also her utmost priority.

Help For Basic Needs With Companionship

Most elders are not able to fulfill even their basic needs. Either their advancing age or the ailments/injuries that follow this age, make their body and brain weak. They need help with activities like bathing, eating, dressing up, and toileting. Their memory is not as strong as it was in the young days. So the caregiver in home also helps them take their medications, workouts, and meals on time without forgetting. But only doing all this is not enough on the part of the caregiver home care. With all these, the caregiver for the elderly must remember to act more as a companion to the elder than a professional doing her job. This is one of the overlooked aspects of caregiving. An elder is often left alone by his family members. And if the professional caregiver at home doesn’t act as a friend, the elder is bound to fall into the trap of loneliness. Such a situation can worsen the elder’s health condition and may even lead to depression.

Assist With Housekeeping & Prepare Meals if Reqd

Many elders are living without any young people in the house. These elders with their poor health, have to take care of things like taking out the trash, buying groceries, and calling or supervising the electrician/plumber. A professional caregiver in home also takes the responsibility of getting these things done without troubling the elder. This way, the elder’s body, and the brain can focus on healing his ailments instead of house chores. Additionally, the professional caregiver also helps to prepare healthy meals for the elder. These are according to the diet plan suggested by the nutrition experts. In case the elder has a cook, the caregiver for the elderly assists the cook to make sure the elder only consumes food and drinks that comply with his health condition. Monitoring the elder’s meals is necessary. One reason is that with age, an elder feels tired and unmotivated to make his own food. This inability can lead to malnutrition and then to diseases like anorexia, which will need further care by the in home caregiver for elderly parents. Another reason is that the elder’s age brings balance and memory issues, which lead to unsafe cooking for the elder.

Monitor Medications, Health Metrics & Update Care Plan

Elder’s find it tough to take the right medication in the correct dose at the right time. Their weakening memory and increasing tiredness can be the reason for this. A professional caregiver takes the responsibility of making sure the patient never gets an overdose or underdose of the prescribed drugs. The caregiver needed for elderly person also has to constantly check the essential medical parameters. These include oxygen saturation, heart rate, pulse, blood pressure, and blood sugar. If any of these parameters seems to go wrong, the caregiver informs the doctor immediately. If necessary, she assists the elder in reaching the hospital for a procedure. At Emoha, we have a special telemonitoring device that keeps a check on the health parameters in real-time. So, even if the professional caregiver is not around or aware due to some reason, the backend support team at Emoha will notify the caregiver and the assigned doctor. Lastly, the caregiver for the elderly also takes responsibility for always assessing the elder’s condition. If there are any parts of the care plan that need to get an update, she does the update. For instance, if the patient starts feeling more pain in his body, then the caregiver may increase his dose of pain medication.

Assist With Transfer & Mobility

Mobility is a big issue for most elders. As people age, their bones get weaker. If the elder has an ailment that makes him bedridden, then the transfer and mobility become even more difficult. So, the professional in home caregiver for elderly parents takes the duty to make sure the elder is always safe whenever any movement is necessary. The movement can be to shift from the bed to the wheelchair, go to the bathroom, or use the stairs. The caregiver needed for elderly person also takes care of the senior during transportation, which can be during hospital visits or any other travel. Driving and using public transport may not be a safe option for your loved one. So, the caregiver for the elderly may become in charge of driving the elder wherever necessary. Whatever the case, she makes sure the elder stays as immune to falls as possible because falls can cause injury and damage the patient's body, requiring further treatment and care.