What are the key points of daily care for the elderly?

The core should be implemented around the three principles of "preventing risks, ensuring comfort, and complying with wishes." There is no one-size-fits-all standard list and must be flexibly adjusted based on the elderly's physical condition and living habits.

I have worked as a nursing specialist in a community nursing home for four years, and I have seen too many family members copying the standardized care items online, but doing bad things with good intentions. Last month, the children of Aunt Zhang's family who lived in Building 3 were diagnosed with diabetes and needed to control their sugar. They threw away all the candied dates that the old man had eaten for more than 30 years, and kept an eye on them every day to prevent them from touching anything sweet. As a result, the old man secretly hid a bag of candied dates in the closet until they became sticky and went bad, and he couldn't bear to throw them away. After eating them, he went to the hospital with acute gastroenteritis, and the gain outweighed the gain.

Nowadays, there are two different views on the daily care of the elderly. One group believes that the elderly should avoid all risks as much as possible and do not let the elderly do anything by themselves. The other group believes that the elderly should be appropriately reserved for self-care to avoid too rapid functional degradation. My own practical experience is that it is safest to focus on the big and let go of the small. For the most accident-prone problem of falls, first adjust the water cups, medicine boxes, and clothes commonly worn by the elderly to waist-to-shoulder height. Don't let them tiptoe to reach or squat down to find them. Do not pile debris on the floor of the house. Bath stools and handrails should be installed as they should be. High-risk activities such as changing light bulbs and moving rice and noodles must not be touched by the elderly. If a hip fracture occurs, long-term bed rest may easily lead to bedsores and pneumonia, which will in turn drag down the body. However, small things such as choosing vegetables, cleaning the table, and going downstairs to pick up a light express can be left to him. This will not cause big risks, but it can also make the elderly feel "useful".

Diet is also the hardest hit area. Many family members always think that they need to supplement nutrition for the elderly, such as simmering chicken soup and feeding protein powder. In fact, the digestive ability of the gastrointestinal tract of most elderly people is already weak. Such supplementation will easily cause food accumulation and constipation, which will increase the burden on the gastrointestinal tract. There is really no need to pursue "high nutrition". As long as the food is soft and tender but not completely cooked, chewing ability will deteriorate faster. The amount of salt and sugar is one-third less than that of young people. People with underlying diseases do not need to completely avoid eating it. For example, last week for the 80-year-old Grandpa Wang's birthday, we discussed with his family to let him eat a small piece of cream cake. The staple food was reduced by less than half a bowl that day, and the blood sugar test after the meal did not exceed the standard. The old man was so happy that he talked with us all afternoon about his youth.

Many people only focus on physical indicators when doing care. In fact, emotions have a much greater impact on the elderly's body than many people think. Don't always regard the elderly as "a burden that needs to be taken care of." Ask him for his opinion on small things at home. Even if you don't necessarily follow what he says in the end, it is better than making decisions for him directly. An Aunt Liu once complained to me that her children would not let her do anything, not even follow her when buying groceries. She was busy at home every day and always felt like a redundant person. Later, we suggested that her children call her every time they go shopping and let her be responsible for picking the vegetables and negotiating prices. When carrying heavy things, let her bring onions, ginger and garlic in a small cloth bag. After only half a month, Aunt Liu is more energetic in square dancing than before.

In fact, after all, there is really no fixed list of key points for caring for the elderly. It is just like taking care of a child. You must first understand his temper and habits, and then apply professional requirements. Don't reverse the order, otherwise the standard care process will not bring comfort and satisfaction to the elderly.