9 Signs You Need to Hire a Private Nurse

9 Signs You Need to Hire a Private Nurse - MalaysiaCaregiving Support

9 Signs You Need to Hire a Private Nurse

Having a private nurse could save you trips to hospitals and keep your loved one supervised. Learn more here!

In-home healthcare professionals, likeprivate nurses, are a valuable addition to your household in managing your loved one’s age-related health conditions. Let’s get to know deeper about the multidimensional roles of a nurse and how to determine when is the time to hire one for your elderly.

Role of a nurse in late adulthood

With declining health naturally happening as we enter our late 50s, the need for healthcare assistance is making the role of registered nurses in demand.

Nurses who specialise in healthcare services for the elderly are known as ‘geriatric nurses’. These qualified nurses are well-trained in catering to the overall well-being of ageing adults, including their physical and mental needs. Hence, being a nurse for older adults requires a great deal of patience, understanding, and empathy to balance these various responsibilities.

Providing medical care

For elderly patients who are in need of ongoing medical attention, registered nurses and nursing assistants can offer assistance in handling both simple and complex medical procedures.

The range of nursing services varies based on the needs of the ageing patients, such as:

  • administering appropriate medication
  • monitoring vital signs such as blood glucose, blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate
  • assessing and keeping track of the patient’s health conditions
  • implement nursing procedures including wound care, stoma care, injections, and tube feeding

Managing recovery

Recovery periodafter surgery and hospitalisationis a critical process to regain your maximum health, which can take up to months or even a year. The rate of your healing depends highly on how well you are taken care of during recovery. During this uncomfortable time, one’s physical and mental state are extremely vulnerable, especially for older adults who have a slower rate of recovery due to their age.

This is where the presence of nurses comes in handy. Their priority is to ensure your loved one will receive quality care, speed up healing, and minimise post-surgical complications through:

  • medical provision
  • monitoring the surgical wound
  • pain management
  • eating habits
  • health tipsFor those living alone, the transition back home post-surgery can be tough without skilled assistance and support. Discoverhow this single mum copes with post-op care at home with !

Facilitating rehabilitation

As we embrace our golden years, our bodies and mind will develop physical and physiological changes, thus affecting our overall function as a human. As a result, adults over the age of 50 are more susceptible to home accidents such as falls and kitchen hazards. These injuries can cause major health impairments that may require our loved ones to undergo rehabilitation.

Rehabilitationcan be highly intensive, hence skilled nurses play an integral role to:

  • coordinate appropriate programmes and activities which will help restore the patient’s maximum capabilities.
  • provide physical and emotional support.
  • encourage seniors to do as much as they are able to, or adapt to existing disability.
  • ensure the senior patients are able to follow through with their respective rehabilitation plans.

Several common types of rehabilitation services include:

  • Physical therapy or physiotherapy– to recuperate from fractures, sprains, dislocation, osteoporosis, arthritis)
  • Occupational therapy– to guide patients in carrying out activities of daily living independently
  • Speech therapy– for seniors who experience language and swallowing problems due to illness like stroke or dementia

Promoting socialisation

Astudyshowed that Malaysian elderly who suffered from loneliness and social isolation were often associated with depression.

One of the effective ways to reduce the risk of mental health is through social engagements. Therefore, nurses can help motivate senior citizens especially those living in nursing homes to initiate active interactions among the community members, for example pairing them with another senior citizen buddy and involving them in group activities. Depression in the elderly is not something to be ignored. Learn the10 warning signs of depression in the elderlyand what you can do to help.

Educating the patient and their family

One of the key principles in healthcare is patient education, whereby healthcare professionals like nurses are obliged to counsel patients on their health conditions, prescribed medications, potential risks, and treatment options.

For elderly patients, keeping their family members or caregivers in the loop about their loved one’s health concerns and progress is extremely important.

Not only can awareness empower both patients and their family members to make improvements in terms of lifestyle, but they are also more prepared to stage necessary interventions at home when needed. The true drivers behind are our pool of inspirational penjaga profesional who work tirelessly to provide nursing and caregiving to many households in Malaysia. Read ourCare Pro stories here.

What about assistance with non-medical care only?

Older adults without serious medical conditions but still need assistance with activities of daily living can receive care from trained caregivers instead.

Different from licensed nurses,non-medical caregiversfocus on giving emotional and physical support, which is crucial in improving the quality of lifeand overall well-being of the ageing care recipients.

While certified nurses commonly work in professional healthcare institutions, caregivers usually provide personal care at private homes as well as nursing homes. While home caregivers are usually well-trained to perform basic and simple nursing care, they are not qualified to perform complex nursing procedures unattended.

Severalactivities of daily livingthat trained caregivers can help to observe your loved one’s basic self-care, including:

  • maintaining good personal hygiene (such as taking baths or showers, toileting, and diaper changing)
  • appearance care (such as dressing and securing medical appliances on the body)
  • taking care of their diet (such as feeding and meal preparation)
  • ensuring safe mobility and transferring from one position to another
  • providing transportation and accompaniment for medical appointments
  • helping out with chores or housekeeping
  • encouraging active independence
  • offering companionship and emotional support, especially for those dealing with mental health issues or feelings of lonelinessNursing home, maid, or home care? Find out what are the differences between thecare options in Malaysiaand which elder care service best suits you and your loved one!

9 Signs you need to hire a private nurse for your loved ones

Although different seniors may exhibit different signs, these are some of the common ones you should be aware of when deciding to hire a private nurse for your loved one:

Declining health or chronic illness

As one age, their health is likely to deteriorate or they might be diagnosed with a chronic illness that requires consistent care. With the help of a private nurse, assistance in medication management, symptom monitoring, and complication prevention can be provided in the comfort of the patient’s home.

A private nurse can also provide specialized care to people with Dementia, monitor their behavior, help with memory exercises, and ensure their safety to prevent accidents or wandering.

Frequent hospitalizations

If your loved one requires frequent hospitalizations or emergency room visits due to health issues, a private nurse can help manage their condition at home, potentially reducing the need for hospital stays or helping

Changes in mood

Sudden emotional changes are the most obvious indicator that shows if your loved one is in need of a private nurse.

With older adults, their mood can be at either extreme end of the spectrum. They may tend to be extra quiet or be more aggressive than usual, which possibly means that there is some kind of discomfort they are not willing to reveal. Regardless, it is more likely that they would refuse to give cooperation unless there is a healthcare professional stepping in.

Finding out the cause of their mood shifts is impossible to be detected with a one-time diagnosis at the clinic. Instead, a private nurse is able to better monitor their mood changes over the course of a longer period of time and advise the next steps.

Not eating well

At a glance, seniors eating irregularly or in lesser amounts seems normal as a result of hormonal changes and lower energy levels. Sometimes, it is a common side effect of certain medications like dry mouth that leads to reduced appetite.

Although, unusual weight loss can pose a serious health concern. Chronic diseases such as cancer and gastrointestinal issues could be potential causes. It may also be an early sign of Alzheimer’s patients who no longer remember their meal time, thus ensuing poor nutrition.

Having a professional private nurse would be highly beneficial, as they are qualified to assess these symptoms and make recommendations accordingly to improve your loved one’s diet or overall health condition.

Self-neglect

If your loved one is seen disregarding their overall appearance from the aspects of self-grooming or personal hygiene, or both—that indicates a call for help.

Their physical appearance might appear unkempt or untidy, for example, messy hair, not dressing up properly, unshaven, or looking pale. Other signs that you should look out for include wearing the same outfit for several days, unpleasant body odour, less frequent showers, and bad breath.

This lack of self-care is possibly due to old age taking a toll on their physical strength and preventing them from carrying out simple tasks like showering and changing clothes. However, it could also imply underlying conditions that require proper medical assistance of a private nurse such as depression, Parkinson’s disease, and cognitive functioning issues.

Struggling with mobility

Most older adults have no problem moving around the house independently, although they may occasionally experience back pains, muscle cramps, and sore joints.

If you start to notice signs of posture imbalance or unexplained bruises andskin tearson certain parts of their body, that may indicate their ability to move is compromised and should be assisted physically 24/7 to prevent further injuries and fall risk.

Forgetfulness

Unable to recall a certain memory is a normal part of ageing, but it can signify a serious issue when that happens way too frequently. Your loved one may also experience confusion when trying to remember where certain things are kept.

Fearing that those might be the symptoms of cognitive decline, you should consider consulting a professional

Lost track of medications

Most senior citizens are polymedicated patients—meaning theytake at least 5 medications on a daily basis to manage various conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol.

With multiple kinds of pills, it is no surprise that older adults would commitmedication errorsof skipping a few doses or not taking them regularly, even when you already help them sort out the medications accordingly and label the pill box.

However, the consequence will become even more worrying when your loved one starts to forget entirely about taking their medications and also possibly mixing up the prescriptions, which can be harmful to their health. If this is the case, it is a major sign to put them under the supervision of a private nurse.

You feel overwhelmed as a caregiver

Being a full-time caregiver can take over personal time and space for yourself and for other commitments, thus resulting inburnout. Caring for the elderly can also be physically demanding, especially for bedridden seniors and those who have limited mobility.

When you can no longer keep up with caregiving duties at home and your own health too starts to decline, it is time to step back and make the decision to hire a private nurse.

Hiring a private nurse

Taking care of the elderly is not a one-man’s job; instead, it is best shared in cooperation with various parties including family members as well as healthcare professionals. There is only so much we can support our loved ones, but unfortunately, our own knowledge and skills in providing proper medical care are fairly limited.

As a family caregiver, it is important to accept that seeking help is a valid option. Our licensedprivate nurses can assist your loved one with nursing procedures and activities of daily living at an affordable rate per hour. Download our app to learn more about our services and book our care today! References

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