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When elderly parents need support to remain safe and healthy, one can be uncertain how to manage the situation. The identification of their needs, responsibility for choices, and decision-making can feel daunting. This is because one is not sure exactly what needs to be done. Nevertheless, it is of utmost importance that any decisions concerning the parent are based on what they want.
Mrs. G is undoubtedly is experiencing complex emotions, and about her life, she must be feeling desperation, too. It is quite terrifying to think of abandoning her house, which she has lived in for the last 35 years, moving to a new location, and being less autonomous. For now, her independence may be her only value, as the building where she lives is the only artifact that is harboring many of her memories about her husband. In consideration of her familys decision, she surely feels neglected and insulted to a certain extent, and now, she might be expecting a hopeless future.
The old lady feels betrayed, given that she comes from a Hispanic background where family is highly esteemed, and considering that she has five children and none of them has offered to stay with her. About her traditions, Mrs. G may be apprehensive that she may lose touch with her culture once she moves to a new location. She also appears to be worried about her future as well. The old lady feels she is being taken in the direction she is not willing to follow. Though Mrs. G seems to be a strong individual, this is disturbing her emotionally.
Mrs. Gs reply did not surprise me because I know my mother would feel the same way if we decided to place her in a home care institution. Even so, being a part of the Hispanic community, her response was not startling. The woman seemed as though she was managing well on her own for the last year. It is only recently, about a month ago, when minor problems, like the falling incident, ensued. For her, it is a small issue that should not have prompted the relocation.
Mrs. Gs culture may be influencing her decision mainly because Hispanic traditional norms tend to be rather family-oriented, and women are perceived to be independent and strong. I am sure if she had been allowed to stay with one of the children, the old lady would have been happier about it. Moreover, though she might feel like a burden because the family would be expected to regularly offer different kinds of assistance, it should not be an issue (Shanas, 2017). According to her culture, the old parents are never taken to facilities; rather they stay with their families.
If I were Mrs. Gs daughter, I would have brought some of her favorite food and spent the weekend together. Then, before raising the subject, I would sit next to my Mother, and, holding hands, I would let her know how terrifying it was to hear about the falls, and how worried everybody was about the incident. A reminder of how important she was to the family and how she has always been a great woman, mother, and wife, would also sound appreciative. I would kindly and politely ask if it was possible to consider staying at the homecare facility, as it would hurt all of us if something happened to her, for example, the fall. It would be important to keep eye contact so she could see how concerned and caring I was about her well-being. It would also sound much better if she realized that our father would have approved of this if he had been alive today because he had cared as well.
Several steps could be taken into account to guarantee the safety of Mrs. G, should she stand firm on not leaving the home. The life emergency button is one device that might be required. Wearing it around the neck or on the wrist all the time would mean that if another fall happened, she would not lie on the floor for hours crying for help. The next step would be to ascertain what causes the falls. It could be rugs or clutter in the house, maybe, some items that are difficult to reach, or even some inappropriate footwear.
To help avoid any falls, the residence should be arranged in a more secure and accessible manner. It would be proper to hire a home-care nurse to attend to Mrs. G twice a week (Watts, 2016). Meals delivery arrangements should be made and as well as enrolling in elderly activities, where she could sometimes spend time and interact with other aged people. The most effective decision is to determine how well the old lady would independently perform her everyday activities (Hansen et al., 2017). Nevertheless, the woman does not appear to suffer from dementia or other impairing medical problems, which can prevent her from staying at home. Ostensibly, she should be able to continue living the same way with only a little extra effort.
Conclusively, one can understand why Mrs. G had to react the way she did. She was a woman who was brought up in a society where the family was always a solid unit, and she also raised her family with the same notion. Her children ought to have considered these facts, and also, they should have consulted her first before deciding to relocate her. This way, the old lady would not have felt neglected.
References
Hansen, A., Hauge, S., & Bergland, Ã…. (2017). Meeting psychosocial needs for persons with dementia in home care servicesA qualitative study of different perceptions and practices among health care providers. BMC Geriatrics, 17(1), 211-220.
Shanas, E. (2017). Old people in three industrial societies. Transaction Publishers.
Watts, T. (2016). Meeting the housing needs of older people: The key to better care and a more integrated society? Working with Older People, 20(4), 199-203. Web.
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