2. Physical and Mental Health
Topic 3 of 6
Maintaining general good health and independence
Ageing need not be unhealthy, but there will be changes that need to be managed.
An essential part of a carer’s job is to help and support your elder cope with their physical and mental changes, so that they can maintain their best health possible. They will need to talk with you about every part of their physical and emotional health. This will require a trusting and empathetic relationship.
Being informed, confident and vigilant is your best way to help them maintain good health and prevent treatable conditions from occurring or deteriorating.
Here’s a few things to talk about.
Select ‘Play’ to view
As we age, we are most likely to experience more than one disease or disorder at a time. These are called comorbidities. There may be also underlying factors such as frailty, incontinence, falls, and muscle wastage, delirium, and pressure ulcers. The best person to diagnose these conditions or syndromes is a geriatrician.
Consider asking your GP for a referral to a geriatrician. Because multiple things may be going on for your elder, they will need to be able to talk with you about their physical and emotional health. You need to know as much as possible about their health so that when things change, you can help manage it. Talk with them about their eating and drinking, aches and pains, skin, toes, eyes, ears, teeth, heart, bowels, and moist dark areas.
You’ll need to establish a relationship where you can mention crutches and pull-ups. Neither of you should feel embarrassed. The most important things you can do are check their health regularly, listen, keep calm, follow a plan, and make notes in the notebook.
General health
Good health in old age means doing everything we value, only a little more slowly and carefully. As we age, all our body systems decline and some bodily functions diminish. This is ageing, not illness. Some of us are healthy and high-functioning at 75, while others may be frail and need support.
What happens to our bodies as we age is partly determined by genetics and biology, and also by stressful life changes; the deaths of partners, family members and friends, retirement, or isolation from family. All these can bring loneliness, lack of purpose and loss of self-worth.
It is important that we keep an eye on both mind and body. Sometimes the best medicine is a happy day.
Select each hotspot to learn about body systems.
Maintaining nutrition
Weight loss is more common than weight gain.
Our elders can become less interested in food for a number of reasons. To maintain their health these reasons need to be identified.
Some of the reasons are these:
Select each heading to find out more
Some medications have side effects that decrease appetite. If you think this affects your elder, get a review of their medications. Nutrition is important to good health and GPs will often change medications if they reduce appetite.
Meals prepared in the microwave might also mean there are no cooking sights and smells to stimulate our elders appetite.
Your elder might also have trouble chewing and swallowing.
A speech therapist can assess these functions and identify causes. Possible causes could be:
physical: such as medication-related dry mouth, dental issues or weakening of the swallowing mechanism, which can result in choking or aspiration (this is when food or liquid goes down the windpipe). Conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease can decrease appetite and mean that they forget to eat or swallow.
psychological: mood can affect appetite.
You can encourage your elder to stay engaged with food. Here are some things you can do:
- either accompany your elder to do shopping or create a shopping list together.
- remind them of food they once enjoyed.
- encourage them to try new recipes.
- if they use meal services, ensure they like the meals that are ordered. Review the menu together before placing orders.
- eating alone can be reason for decreased appetite. Try to share a meal as often as possible.
It is wise to have a dietician check your elder to diagnose any problems and suggest solutions.
Why hydration is important
Water is essential to our health and wellbeing. A human body can last weeks without food but only days without water. Hydration is essential for our blood, bones, muscles, lungs, and kidneys.
Not having enough to drink can lead to dehydration, falls and hospitalisation. Encourage your loved one to stay hydrated by drinking water regularly.
For more information on the effects of dehydration go to Resources in the Menu and have a look at ‘Hydration for elderly people and the dangers of dehydration’
Select each question to find out more
There are a number of reasons why the person you care for is not drinking fluids.
Here are some of them:
- they don’t like water
- they no longer get thirsty which can happen with age and they simply forget to drink
- they forget to drink because they have changes in cognition such as Alzheimer’s
- they don’t want to drink because they can’t swallow or have dysphagia and it makes them cough or choke
- they don’t want to drink because of the embarrassment of incontinence
- they don’t want to drink because they will be awake all night going to the bathroom.
Not everyone likes water. Ask your elder what they like to drink and include some options they may not have considered.
Here are some tips:
- Have alternatives: Offer a variety of options like herbal tea, coconut water, Pedialyte (electrolytes for re-hydration in different flavours), fruit juice, soup and infused water (adding fruit or vegetables to water to enhance the flavour).
- Make drinks look more enticing: By adding crushed ice and fruit garnishes. Swirly straws are not only fun but are practical too. Our elders often find straws help them to swallow.
- Make it easy: Make hydration convenient by offering frequent drinks and having water within easy reach. You can also offer water at different temperatures – some elders prefer warm water to cold. Access to drinks may become more difficult. Check the kettle is still easy to use. Can they take the top off the milk and unscrew drink bottles? Can they see what is inside bottles? Can they see what is in the fridge? Have a look at the Independent Living Centre for some solutions.
Visiting a hospital or the Emergency Department (ED)
At some point your elder will go to hospital. Often via the Emergency Department (ED). Your important role is to make sure the medical people know everything they need to deliver suitable care to your loved one. This can include whether they are hearing or vision impaired. You do not want staff to think your elder is cognitively impaired, and to bypass them, when it is a hearing problem. You can also help your elder and the medicos to discuss planning discharge and what support may be needed at home to a palliative approach when necessary. Your involvement and the information you give and are given will help everyone involved in their treatment while in hospital.
To help you support your elders’ recovery please read the extremely useful ‘Carer’s Hospital Handbook’. It is a wonderful resource. Click on the link to access it.
Flip the card to learn more about the Carer’s Hospital Handbook
Carer's Hospital Handbook
The handbook includes tools for remembering lists, conversations, medical information, people and contacts.
As a carer you have important information about the person you care for – and you have the right to have this heard and be included in decisions. This book will take you through how to support your elder, your rights, advocacy and discharge planning. It has the resources and contacts you need to get the services and supports in place for the person you care for.
Module 2
Resources
MODULE 2
