How to Help Older People Cope with Change

Issues Older People and Carers Face

The main issues facing older people are:• Physical changes• Cognitive changes• Social changes• Family changes• Changes in living arrangements• Changes to independence• Loss and grief• Attitudes in society• Family carers

Physical Changes

People's bodies change as they get older: • Their muscles may not be as strong• They may not be able to bend and stretch as well as before • They may lose their balance• Their eyes and ears might not work as well • Their skin becomes thinner and may break and tear easily • They may gain or lose weight• Their general fitness level may decrease

Physical Changes

As a carer you role is to:• Assist older people to look after glasses or contact lenses• Watch for changes in how older people move• Tell someone I the older person’s care network or supervisor if there is a

problem• Know when to recognise when things become too difficult for older

people and make a recommendation that they may need to move into residential care

Physical Changes

As a carer you role is to (continued):• Encourage exercise• Watch for hazards in home or other environments that may make older

people trip or fall• Help older people move from one place to another safely• Make sure equipment used by older people work properly

Cognitive Changes

Support workers can help older people manage cognitive changes by helping or encouraging them to:• Write reminder notes• Put appointments an a calendar• Talk about important details• Write down names and phone numbers

Cognitive Changes

Support workers can help older people manage cognitive changes by helping or encouraging them to:• Wear name tags• Introduce themselves clearly• Participate in activities

Social Changes

Support workers can help older people manage these changes by:• Encouraging phone calls to friends and family • Suggesting social groups and activities• Help write letters and emails• Help memory by talking about photos (whilst respecting privacy)

Loss and Grief

• Grief is when people feel sad when they lose someone or something important to them.

• Older people may feel grief when they lose skills they used to have.

RECOGNISING AND REPORTING SIGNS OF GRIEF

Support workers need to be able to recognise the signs

of grief and work out ways to support

those experiencing grief

STAGES OF GRIEF

STAGE WHAT IT MEANS

Denial • Denial is the first stage of grief. • Person may state "I feel fine."; "This can't be

happening, not to me.“ • In case of a dying person, he/she may deny

the fact that he/she is going to die. • This step is more profound in people who

are dying in young age with diseases like cancer.

Anger • Second stage of grief is anger. • The person is angry about the loss. They try

to find reasons to explain the loss. • They may ask questions like "Why me? It's

not fair!"; "How can this happen to me?"; "Who is to blame?"etc.

Bargaining Bargaining is the third stage of grief. The person may try to make deals with themselves or others. They may feel that if they do or promise something, then what they have lost may come back. You can hear them saying statements like "Just let me live to see my children graduate."; "I'll do anything for a few more years."; "I will give my life savings if..."

Depression Depression is the fourth stage of grief. The person may feel that they don't care for anything any more. Signs of depression can include sleeping a lot, not being able to sleep, not getting out of bed, not talking to others, not eating well or not going out/ socializing. These are depicted in statements like "I'm so sad, why bother with anything?"; "I'm going to die... What's the point?"; "I miss my loved one, why go on?" etc.

Acceptance Acceptance is the last stage of grief. The person begins to accept the loss they have felt and adapt to it.You may hear them say "It's going to be okay."; "I can't fight it, I may as well prepare for it. Our aim should be to help people achieve this last stage by providing support and comfort.

STAGES OF GRIEF

Changes in Living Arrangements & Grief

Support workers can help older people to manage such changes by:• Talking to older people about how they feel• Listening when they want to talk• Showing them where things are kept• Helping them find their way around

IHNA offers qualifications in aged care, disability and nursing. Go to http://ihna.edu.au to kick start your health career.

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