Who Should Take Care of Elderly Patients? Family Members or Professional Health Workers

There was this old man who despite his age in his late eighty’s, he was still strong and fit as he trudged rugged terrains every morning to his little farm. His aging knees never got tired. He had no money and he owned only a small piece of farm that he tended every day. His treasures were his family who were always there for him. But things weren’t always the same like the olden days when life was simple and people were content living with only the basic needs.

A time came when his grandchildren wanted to explore a new world. Four of his grandchildren were able to apply for jobs in different parts of the world. It was a quick preparation for the four grandchildren and their ever loving grandfather had no idea what was going on. Nobody bothered to tell him; one, because he would never understand the situation anyway and two because the grandchildren decided to make it as a surprise for him. They had always wanted a more comfortable life for their old grandfather. This is it! All the luxuries will be provided for grandfather.

The scene when the four grandchildren left could never be forgotten. It was their grandfather who was the most affected. He often looked out the window and watched the hammock under the big mango tree where his four lovely grandchildren played and teased each other. There were no more noise and laughter to hear.

The old man got sick until he got so weak he has to be rushed to a hospital. The doctors found nothing wrong with him. All his body parts were normally functioning. A month after the old man’s grandchildren left, he passed away calmly.

Elderly patients need the utmost care and love they deserve and the only people who can provide these are the family members. Health care professionals maybe skilled and experienced in their field and they could provide the proper medication and care to the elderly patients but they cannot possibly provide the emotional needs of the elderly patients.

I have a very close knit family because it is a practice in my country. We take care of everybody in the family especially the elderly. We are taught since childhood to take care of our elders because they are the people who need the most care from the younger people. When our parents get sick, we file a leave from work to take care of our parents. We were always told to visit our sick grandparents and the elderly patients in the community who were already too weak.

The best way for family members to show their love to their elders is to take care of them when they get sick. Elderly patients need the presence of their family when they are sick. The mere presence of a family member beside the elderly patient means magic to how he feels. Emotional feelings help a lot in the recovery of a patient. When the elderly patient is taken cared for properly especially by a family member, the elderly patient could recover faster. This is the reason why elderly patients must be taken cared for by family members.

When you are sick; you want a very close person by your side to lift up your spirit and keep your hopes intact. This is the most important thing that the elderly patients need especially when they are already too weak and they need someone whom they could lean on and feel the love and care that they so deserve. Most elderly patients want people close to them when they get sick. They long to see their children and their grandchildren if they have. They forget about pains with the mere sight of family members.

Health care professionals are well trained to do the job of care givers and could surely give the right attention to the elderly. I'm sure they also have the patience and understanding, but a family member is far different from someone who is a stranger to the elderly patient. Elderly patients need family members whom they could talk to freely not someone who maybe kind and understanding but still a stranger to the elderly patients.

Some people think that it is enough to pay for care givers to take care of their elders but our elders need more than medical care. They are better off having family members with them.

Emotional feelings help a lot in making the elderly patients improve and get well when they are sick. It has been proven many times that the care given to a patient by a family member is many times more effective than any medicine and thus no matter how much medication is given to a patient when she needs someone at his side, the medication would be ineffective.

Elderly patients need your presence when they get sick. Do not think that it is enough for you to provide for the best medication they need because if they miss you and you cannot be there, the medication that you are providing might not be effective. The care that you give the elderly patients are natural medicines that could help them recover faster and easier so bear that in mind and include your elders in your future plans.

Your elders need you more than the material things that you are working hard to provide for them.  But of course, there are cultural differences to be considered- and the lifestyle that is ever changing.