Elderly Care
Taking care of our elders is one of the most noble things to do in this world where we have no time for others. That’s why people who treat their parents and grandparents with care and respect are the ones we need to look up to, but if you wish to show your elders how much you love them, you should learn a thing or two about elderly care first. Therefore, here are some of the things you need to know.
More seniors
No matter how hard we try to fight the recent trends in demographics, the truth is that the number of seniors in the world today is higher than ever. Back in the 1960s, people over the age of 65 used to constitute about 5% of the entire population, but this number has risen rapidly since, so, in 2015, there were over 8.5% of seniors in the world.
The chances are this trend is going to continue, so we’ll be surrounded by more and more old people in the decades to come. This also means we’re going to need more nursing homes, experts in elderly care and volunteers who will spend their time with the people who need constant attention.
Less caregivers
Unfortunately, the biggest problem in elderly care isn’t the rising number of seniors, but the constantly dropping number of caregivers. Being willing to dedicate your time to someone you don’t know, but who needs you, is far from easy, and it’s only natural that young people don’t see this as the best job in the world.
About ten years ago, every senior had about seven people who could become their caregiver. Now, this ratio plummeted from 7:1 to only 3:1, meaning that seniors have only three people they can count on – which means the number of caregivers is lower than ever.
Better retirement homes
However, the situation isn’t as bad as it seems. Yes, there are more seniors than caregivers, but that doesn’t mean we can’t help them all. On the contrary, a number of amazing new retirement homes is opening all over the world, and people are really trying to make life easy for the elders in lots of different ways.
One of the things they do is exposing seniors to natural environment as much as possible, and this is where Australians are doing their best work. For instance, staying at the Mark Moran retirement homes in Vaucluse means being in the centre of a peaceful and enjoyable area, surrounded by trees, ocean view and see breeze, and that’s just what our seniors need today.
Greener spaces
Another wonderful thing our elders can enjoy are retirement homes that are embracing the concept of green living and introducing numerous eco-friendly innovations into their daily lives. Some of the most important things include buildings based on recycled or repurposed natural materials, reused furniture, solar panels, gardening spaces, sustainable equipment and energy-efficient appliances.
All these things help green retirement homes look better than ever, but they also come with another amazing feature – they allow our seniors to lead a better and more natural life. Being surrounded by tons of natural light and fresh air is significantly going to improve their mental and physical health, helping them feel young again.
Making sure our elders are happy and healthy is vital, and something we all need to participate in, whether we have seniors in our family or not. So, find way to get involved and you too could introduce a positive change into the world of elderly care as well.
