QNE_p048

QC05052016

8 THE QUEENS COURIER • HEALTH • APRIL 7, 2016 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com health CAREGIVING AND AGING, Part II In last month’s article entitled: Caregiving and Aging, Part I, I focused on the practice of caregiving to the aged individual with Alzheimer’s. In Part II, I intend to address the necessity for care of this individual as a quality-of-life issue that professionals as well as family members need to recognize. According to the literature, persons with severely altered cognition are more prone to display inappropriate behaviors because of a decreased ability to accurately interpret environmental cues. They can also become frustrated in their attempt to carry out simple tasks. However, allowing the individual to perform these self-care tasks with the aid of staff or family members who are smiling and exhibiting a relaxed affect can produce a more attentive demeanor despite disruptive behavioral symptoms. I might remind the reader however, that care of this individual should not always focus on, nor be about, the disease process, but rather on the simple act of putting on clean, fresh-smelling clothes and enjoying the sight and scent of deliciously prepared food. Or it can just be a walk in a garden with the aroma of freshly cut grass in their nostrils. Even listening to music can trigger familiar and positive memories. Those who write about the quality of life for this individual claim in their research that the quality they espouse can be elusive and therefore can’t always be measured in terms of any quantitative study. To the contrary! There are in fact numerous studies that disagree with these claims. I recall speaking with an elderly man who had been diagnosed with advanced Alzheimer’s. He haltingly spoke of a problem that was disturbing to him. After a length of time, he was able to help me comprehend his dilemma. The passion which he generated in trying to express his pain told me he was frightened and feeling threatened. What I took away from this encounter was that we can all learn we are not always invested in the full or spoken word even with the best of intentions. Caring for the individual with an advanced mental impairment is a tough job and the drama faced by the family caregiver or facility/ staff person can be heartbreaking. Everyone with an aging parent has a story to tell. How often have you heard the following: “I have become the parent and my parent has become my child.” Although it is true that aging entails many losses, the essential role of parent and child does not reverse. Caretaking functions and responsibilities often change dramatically but the mutual respect ascribed to the role of parent and child remains in force (i.e. the parent remains the parent). In light of this, the biblical injunction of “Honor your mother and father” may have deeper meaning than we understand at fi rst glance. We often read this phrase as a guiding principle for a child, but perhaps this commandment was also meant to be advice for adult children, especially with aging parents and during the more challenging life-changing decisions that we all encounter as we age. As a fi nal thought, life is not only memory and cognition, but is also of the senses and the heart. Finding the key to each person’s private space where hope can be understood and practiced is essential for a long and healthy existence. Sheldon Ornstein Ed.D, RN Dr. Sheldon Ornstein is a registered professional nurse with a doctoral degree in nursing organization. He has specialized in the care of older adults and has published many articles on the subject. He has done post-graduate work in gerontology and has taught at several universities. In 2013, he was inducted into the Nursing Hall of Fame at Teachers College, Columbia University. Need to see your GYN and can't get an appointment? Can't get off from work? Choices can help because our specialty is you. Extended Evening Hours Walk-ins Welcome Same-day or Next-day Appointments OUR SPECIALTY IS YOU! 718 534 3800 Text “CHOICES” to 27126 choicesmedical.com 147-32 Jamaica Avenue Jamaica NY 11435


QC05052016
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