How do the elderly truly feel towards care homes?
My son is considering putting me in a Care Home for better care because I am 65 years old and have movement issues. I have diabetes and osteoporosis, and as a result, I need constant care. I’m scared since I’ve never lived alone without my family. I appreciate the choice because I know it will meet all of my needs and benefit both of us. But I’m worried about how this experience will go for me because it’s a significant step. The reason is that I’d be going into an entirely new environment.
There is no single answer since it varies based on the individual. The majority of people in nursing homes have some degree of cognitive impairment, so they require more support and supervision than someone with an intact brain. Cognitively impaired individuals have limited self-awareness. They are unable to evaluate their own situation. They cannot identify their own deficiencies and challenges. Therefore, they cannot provide logical solutions.
As a result, they cannot make informed decisions about their health. But when a resident chooses to move into a care home and has some independence, they are usually happy if they adapt to the change. They become involved in activities & create their own life.
It’s also true that some older adults come into assisted living against their will due to their inability to care for themselves at home and never adjust & are deeply unhappy, while others adapt and are content.
Such situations are scarce, however. In general, people accept that they need more care than they can get at home. Pets are the most significant loss older adults experience when they take into consideration.
Deprived of their pets, they become depressed. Care home staff do their best to brighten the lives of their residents, even volunteering their time to organize activities and bringing their own pets to visit.
The stress and instability of moving house later in life are nearly impossible to imagine for many, particularly those with strong roots at home. When you’re dealing with dementia, new environments and habits can be very disturbing, exacerbating the impacts of the disease.
Moving to a care facility is more complicated than suddenly downsizing a family home into a single room. It comes from the loss of a community we may have been a part of for a long time, of neighbours who have become friends, and of the loyal pets that have comforted us.
The pain can be both physical and mental. Getting used to the unusual routine of life at a care facility can be difficult. Some people lose their independence when following specific sleep, meal, and visitation schedules. It’s because we no longer have many of the primary choices in life, like choosing what we eat and when to go to bed.