Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Caregiving:"Elderly Neglect Themselves ..."

From the Caregiver’s Home Companion …

Elderly Neglect Themselves,

Don't Understand the Danger: Study

“…Many older adults who cannot take care of the tasks of daily life such as eating and bathing are battling a multitude of health problems with little help from family or others in their community, according to a new study….”

(Click on the blue headline for the full story.)

7 comments:

  1. This I have witnessed and it haunts me.  My grandfather died of neglect in his own home after grandma died.  He ran off all social services and the police would not do anything after he called them on my brother for trying to help.  Grandma hid his slow dementia and when she died it got bad.  He died surrounded in filth and had not eaten in days.  Horrible death! No one would help us help him and his mind told him everyone was out to get him.

    Tammy

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  2. That is so true and very sad.
    Lisa

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  3. Thanks for making us aware of this. Often times these are signs of elderly abuse as well. When the elderly do have someone caring for them (at least according to the paperwork), that doesn't in fact take care of their charges. Sometimes the neglect has gone on for so long these people don't realize they are suppose to be treated any differently. If the family is unable to assist with the care of an elderly member, the church is sometimes able to provide volunteers to check on them from time to time. As always awareness keeps us all alerted for those things we should be watching for. (Hugs) Indigo

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  4. Bookmarked this, didn't know the site existed, thanks for the extremely useful, accurate information.  CATHY

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  5. Hello, I'm new to your journal but just wanted to say thanks for posting this.  I'm a professional caregiver, and I tend to take all these types of cases.  These situations are just so sad.
    madison

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  6. My mom was rather like that in ways, although she didn't go without bathing herself... I think she got tired very easily when making something just for herself to eat, and a lot of other things, that I didn't realize. She would hide it from my sister and myself.
    Jackie

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  7. This proves that we must all be a little more neighborly, doesn't it? I mean, the simple act of visiting elderly, of being able to recognize their needs, of helping them. Offering to cut their toe nails, or making sure they have heat in the winter, and food in the fridge. Making sure they're not walking in cat poop all day, getting other neighbors involved to visit. Churches do this easily enough, but that does not mean people can't just be more neighborly toward the elderly who may be alone because their families live far away, or their family members are deceased. Baby boomers are heading for this danger zone. And we are in the millions... doctors and churches will probably miss some of them... that's why it's so important for caring and alert neighbors to do their part. It's the village (same one who raises the children) taking care of its citizens to the end concept. This is important news. Thanks for sharing, Patrick. bea

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