Not forgetting loved ones during the holidays.

  This holiday season is all about being with family. Take the time to include your elderly loved ones in the festivities. Depression is a large part of the holiday season, and this is especially true for the elderly.

   During this time of the year, I am reminded of the many sad faces of residents in long term care facilities (nursing homes) who's family did not show up for a visit or share the holiday with them. The elderly sits and waits for family to arrive for a visit every day. The holidays intensifies the anxiousness they feel while waiting. Even after a few minutes, they can become anxious worrying if the family will show up.

  To help, be sure to call a head and let the staff know you are coming and when, so they may help mom or dad be ready and prepared. Don't forget to let them know how many are coming as the facility can help with arrangements for a private meeting room or setting up refreshments and providing a comfortable chair for mom or dad while unwrapping their many gifts.

  By including your elderly loved ones in the holidays at home or at the long term care facility, goes such a long way in their mental well being.

Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones!

Knowledge Acquisition

Working as a Patient Advocate/Navigator and Program Director in the geriatric profession within the field of home health care and long-term care conducting assessment evaluations for placement is a rewarding position in helping the elderly population and their families with acute care, chronic illnesses and Alzheimer disorder. Families come for help with managing and/or placing their parents in the proper type of care environment.

Intuition plays an important part of the Advocate's role in determining the complex needs of the aging and ailing adult. Observations over the years are valuable when added to empirical data, which allows the advocate to apply his/her knowledge in the best interest of the client’s situation. The elderly come with many complex issues and need to be understood individually according to their own personal stories and idea of self.

Care plans designed by the care manager are to help the client live a meaningful and productive life within the means of the new restrictions placed on this person physically, mentally, and emotionally. The care plan is a plan of trust; the nurse trusts the caregivers and client to carry out their part of the plan, and the latter two trust the nurse to provide a professional support system.

We use our self-awareness to understand the situations with which our clients are dealing with and we are working to relieve their stress and anxiety.