Living in a nursing home can be a good alternative for your elderly loved ones so that they can get the care they deserve in their golden years. Many would argue though that nothing quite beats staying in the comfort of their own homes, spending their retirement close to their family members.
However, in a situation where deteriorating health can put their safety at risk, a home with 24-hour care from professionals is a better, more practical option.
As a family member, it is definitely not easy to entrust your loved ones to someone else’s care, particularly in a new setting and environment.
But with recent advancements in nursing and caring services, many nursing homes place top priority on the comfort and safety of their elderly residents.
A conducive nursing home is one that creates an active social environment for their residents.
Starting from the comfortable layout of the physical building, and the introduction of open wards and room-sharing, these homes strive to promote social communication between the residents, encouraging them to become friends with their peers.
Group activities such as light physiotherapy in the morning, game sessions and mini gardening breaks help encourage the elderly to communicate more with each other, creating a friendly and happy environment for them.
Residents who require assistance whether to bathe, dress or eat, will also be attended to by caring professionals.
Nursing homes with professional in-house nurses are able to provide residents with assistance in their daily tasks.
The most heartening however is that skilled nursing services as available instantly in the event of a medical emergency, administration of medication and early medical support.
Good nursing homes also employ trained staff to attend to those with serious health conditions. These include those who are bedridden, suffering from cancer, and end-of-life patients.
These nursing facilities are mostly equipped with excellent services such as in-house cooks to provide nutritious meals and snacks for the residents throughout the day.
These facilities often cater to their residents’ dietary requirements and tastes, thus ensuring that they are getting the nutrients they need in their diet.
Admission into a nursing facility is not intended in any way to separate the elderly from their family members but to ensure that they are being cared for by professionals who know what they are doing.
It is common for family members to care of their elderly parents themselves but it is tough juggling between raising their own families and attending to the day-to-day responsibilities of caring for an elderly parent.
Opting to send an elderly parent to a nursing home ensures they are attended to with tenderness and round-the-clock services.
This article was written by Fariza Kasani, a Care Manager with Care Express, and reviewed by Andrew Mastrandonas, Co-founder and CEO of Care Express, a company that provides a range of elderly at-home caregiving services, sending trained and certified professional caregivers and nurses to clients’ homes. For more information go to Care Express.