POSTED BY
Vanessa Cornish on November 18, 2021 1400hrs.
Aging is a part of life.
Everybody ages, like it or not.
It’s just a question of when the onset of telling signs will come.
Some noticeable changes may be an overall weakness, fading vision, difficulty hearing, frequently forgetting to do daily tasks, etc.
These “signs” will become more noticeable and eventually hinder living safely at home.
Some older adults choose to ignore these signs until they can't perform everyday things anymore. These may just be the mundane things we take for granted, like climbing the stairs, practicing personal hygiene, cooking and preparing meals, reading important information like medication dosages, housekeeping, or simply opening a jar.
They point to one thing: the loss of independence.
It means that they will soon have to depend on others to function.
Nobody wants that.
So, many elderly adults and their families choose to live with the changes until they hit a crossroad. Then, either they get too ill or have an accident and lose their ability to function without help.
Unfortunately, given our modern-day setting, nobody in the family can take care of their senior family member solely.
The family looks outward for much-needed help.
The answer for some families is to send their senior loved ones to nursing homes.
It seems logical and practical because nursing homes are dedicated to aging residents with mainstay staff to care for them.
However, there are things that Care Seeker families do not see when committing their senior family member to a nursing home.
First, once in the nursing home, seniors exchange their way of doing things for the fixed routines set in place. They lose the fundamental function of deciding for themselves; they become dependent on the nursing staff for everyday decisions. Ironically, that spells faster cognitive decline and loss of independence.
Another thing that families rarely perceive is the elderly adult’s emotional attachment to their own home. It truly is a place where their heart is. When they’re in their own home, they feel most comfortable, secure, and familiar. Not to mention, their home is where they have countless fond memories of their family and friends. Taking them away is like removing a piece of their heart and disconnecting them from a world they love, although some of them might not say it out loud.
If uprooting their lives is not enough, transferring them to a nursing home may compromise their health. They will join a community of other elderly residents who may be carriers of unwanted bacteria or viruses. Some reports point that nursing homes have a higher risk of disease outbreaks, and residents can contract respiratory and gastrointestinal infections.
Another factor that families need to expect when sending an elder to a nursing home is the exorbitant costs. Costs can go up to as much as $8,000 per month. Talk about paying a lot only to make your loved one lose their independence, decline cognitively faster, be separated from their cherished place, and be exposed to health risks.
There must be a better way of taking care of our beloved seniors—a way that lets them keep their dignity, privacy, zest for life, and connection with their family and friends.
Seniors can “age in place” by living in their homes for as long as possible.
Of course, sometimes, seniors may have to adjust their homes or find a new one to ensure that their home is “right-sized” for them, low maintenance enough, and close to activities and services.
Yes, as mentioned at the start, everybody ages.
And as everyone ages, each one will most probably need some assistance for their “Activities of Daily Living” (ADL).
As for a senior’s ADLs like meal preparation, dressing and grooming, hygiene and personal care, housekeeping, running errands, exercising, attending socials, shopping, pet care, and so much more, WeBookCare is here to ensure that they are well-assisted and competently cared for.
Through WeBookCare, a Care Seeker family can choose which activities they only need help with; thus, preserving their senior loved one’s independence and letting them have complete control over the type of care they book.
WeBookCare is an app that’s the first of its kind in the senior care industry. It brings Care Seeker families and Caregivers together in one platform to ensure their beloved seniors receive the correct type of care when they want it and how they want it. Plus, booking home care through WeBookCare only costs a fraction of sending a vulnerable senior to a nursing home or going through an expensive home care agency.
With that, Care Seeker families can provide more care for their seniors at their own homes where they feel happy, safe, confident, and still on top of their own lives for the long haul.
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