How to care for an elderly person?

If you take care of an elderly person at home, you need to know about some aspects of hygiene of this age group.

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How to care for the oral cavity of an elderly person?

The oral cavity of people of elderly and senile age requires more careful care in connection with the frequent full or partial loss of teeth, the development of age-related changes in the salivary glands and mucous membrane.

Individually justified recommendations can be given only by the attending physician-dentist, but there are a number of general principles of oral care in the elderly.

1. Brush is recommended 2-3 times a day for at least 4 minutes, using a medium-hard brush or soft (it is determined by 1-2 months or by changing the color of indicator hairs).
2. Be sure to thoroughly rinse the mouth with water and flush removable dentures after each meal.
3. When choosing toothpastes, preference should be given to treatment-prophylactic, possessing anti-inflammatory action and strengthening tooth enamel.
4. Since the state of the oral cavity is a consequence of food intake, it is advisable, if possible, to finish eating fresh (wiped or whole) vegetables and fruits, enrich the diet with macro- and microelements, vitamins.

With frequent changes in the functional state of internal organs in the elderly, prerequisites are created for the development of diseases near dental tissues - periodontal disease and periodontitis. For the prevention and comprehensive treatment of this pathology, phytotherapy is widely used. Apply infusions and tinctures, which have anti-inflammatory, hemostatic and deodorant effect. They are prepared from the root of the althaea, the flowers of the chamomile, the St. John's wort, the yarrow (pink and white), the calendula officinalis, the eucalyptus, the plantain of the big, mother-and-stepmother, nettle. It is recommended to periodically conduct rinsing courses (7-10 days) one of the infusions, especially when there is discomfort or smell from the mouth. With the severity of these symptoms necessarily treatment with a specialist.

Elderly people should not forget about the regular visit (2-4 times a year) of the dental office.

How to care for the skin of an elderly person?

One of the basic rules of skin care in the elderly is to keep it clean. Especially careful attention requires cleansing of natural folds - in the neck, in the groin and perineum, under the mammary glands of women and under the fat folds of obese people. They are washed twice a day with warm water and soap and carefully dried by dipping (to avoid additional traumatization of thinned skin), sometimes using baby powder or petroleum jelly (in places where skin may be irritated by discharge). After urinating and defecating ablution, it is preferable to use toilet paper.

Wash preferably with water without soap or using its fatty grades. Of the general hygienic procedures (taken 1-2 times per week), the shower is preferred or, in the absence of contraindications, a bath.

Careful care requires and skin stop: daily washing with baby soap, the use of moisturizing and antimicrobial balms and creams, regular and proper nail treatment.

Hand should be protected from chemical cleaning agents, using as much as possible protective rubber gloves. One or two times a day, you need to lubricate the brush with a cream containing vitamins A and E. There are special domestic creams for the elderly - "Exstel", "Gerontol", etc. For the skin, it is very useful to stay in an atmosphere devoid of chemical pollution, tobacco smoke, so it is recommended to stay outside the city, quitting. However, in the open air should be as much as possible to protect the skin with clothing from excessive exposure to sunlight and strong wind.

Changes in the appendages of the skin - hair and nails - create many psychological problems for people in the third age. The change in hair color, their pronounced thinning, requires a change in the hairstyle and sometimes - the need to wear wigs. To facilitate hair care, their average length or haircut is recommended. Regular visits to the hairdresser, neat and well-groomed hair enhance the emotional state of both women and men.

Sufficient motor activity and observance of the rules of gerodietetics also have a positive effect on the skin condition of an elderly person.

Hygiene of clothes and shoes

Underwear of people over 60 years old must be made of natural materials, do not have tight elastic bands and must be clean. To do this, change it at least once a day or as contamination. Outer clothing should be warm and light. Preferred pastel colors and classic cut, natural or mixed fabrics, providing good ventilation. It is recommended to elderly people wearing a headdress corresponding to the state of thermoregulation, the ambient temperature to human habits. This prevents excessive loss of heat, adverse effects of sunlight, helps to hide defects in the hair.

Shoes should be increased fullness, I-2 sizes larger than in younger years. Preferably, wide noses and a stable heel, 4-5 cm high. It should be borne in mind that shoes made of genuine leather are more comfortable, easier to take the shape of a leg. The fastener should be as simple and durable as possible. Requires the use of instep arresters.

In general, the clothes and shoes of an elderly person should be comfortable, corresponding to fashion trends, hiding the flaws of the changed figure.

When organizing and carrying out care for people of elderly and senile age at home or in various medical and preventive and social institutions, it is necessary to remember the following rules:

• a person of elderly and senile age is better to be treated at home, and not in a hospital;
• if hospitalization is necessary to accelerate adaptation to new conditions in the first days, the requirements for adherence to the regime in the ward should be minimized, bringing it closer to the home;
• address to the patient by name and patronymic;
• promote the patient's desire to communicate with relatives;
• provide access to general information (newspapers, radio, television), as well as personally interested in the patient (on diet, rules of conduct for existing diseases, etc.);
• should strive to study, maintain and carefully consider the individuality of the patient (perceive the patient as a person);
• special attention to sleep normalization, injury prevention;
• next to the patient's bed should be a means of communication (phone or a button of communication with a nurse);
• in a department where there are many older patients, it is necessary to have a rest area equipped with shallow chairs with a straight backrest and armrests, an aquarium, flowers, audio and video equipment;
• observe the ventilation regime, do not allow drafts;
• it is necessary to explain the procedure for all medical and diagnostic procedures multiple times, pay special attention to observance of the appointed time;
• to maintain a normal psychological climate in the ward, it is impossible to allocate any of the patients in communication, when filling chambers, consider the psychological compatibility of patients;
• it is necessary to increase the duration of verbal and non-verbal communication with the patient;
• when conducting medical treatment, observe the rules of pharmacotherapy in geriatrics;
• tolerate the physical and mental deficiencies of the patient, carefully follow the requirements of deontology.