A New Strategy to Meet the Needs of the Elderly

Information that might be of particular interest to our caregiver community...

A New Strategy to Meet the Needs of the Elderly   by Alan Lipton

Geriatric Care Management:

Getting older isn't what it used to be. There was a time when senior members of the community lived amongst their extended family, relying on their children or grandchildren for support. But as the Baby Boomer generation pushes the population's media age higher and higher, and as each generation seems to move farther and farther from its geographical roots, the act of younger generations caring for their elderly relatives is becoming less common. Nowadays, the elderly must find alternative ways to receive the type of care they need, though many seniors are reluctant to move into retirement homes or assisted living facilities.

The effects of caregiving linger on

"The negative psychological effects of caring for someone with dementia linger long after that person has died.  Previous research on caregivers shows that they have higher levels of depression than non-caregivers, especially if they are looking after someone with dementia. When the person dies, there is grief - naturally - but one might expect some psychological improvement once the burden of caregiving has been lifted." - from HealthandAge.com