| …compared to those in institutional care The vacant look on their faces as you walk through the corridors of the Palms Geriatric Home tells the story in its entirety—these seniors would much prefer to be at home than in a ‘home’ with strangers. But the most daunting revelation is that the majority of our senior citizens living in institutional care homes tend to die quicker than those living in their own homes.This is according to Chief Executive Officer of the Essential Care Agency Abbigale Loncke, who in an interview with the Kaieteur News,Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale, opined that most of the elderly people living in the care homes die faster than those living in their own homes, because there is an absence of familiarity with the environment, dependence on others and loneliness.Loncke’s organization offers in-home services for elderly people, especially for those living with non-communicable diseases and terminal illnesses. The organization, which is just over a year old, has extended its services beyond Georgetown to Berbice, and soon to Linden.Loncke stated that elderly people are more comfortable in their own homes because they can see their families and interact with them on a daily basis, and they are given some sort of independence that makes them feel more relaxed.“Studies show that our elderly people who are provided with home care in the comfort of their own homes live longer because they are in their niche with their loved ones. That brings a joy no one can take away…they get to be sociable with those they are familiar with,Jerseys NFL Cheap, as opposed to living in a place with strangers,” she said.According to a study published in the 2013 Age and Ageing journal, seniors living in care homes died quicker than those living at home. The study was conducted on 10,Wholesale World Cup Jerseys,000 care homes and 350,000 people living in the community between the ages of 65 and 104,NFL Jerseys China, in England and Wales. The discovery was startling—in one year 26% of the care home residents died compared to just 3% of those who remained in their homes and live independently.Abbigale LonckeNonetheless,Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping, Loncke stated that for some seniors it is not about living with their families, but more so, about living in their own space, where they are familiar.“Imagine you are eighty years old and for your whole life you have been doing your own thing, in your own surroundings and then someone comes and tells you that you have to go and live in a home with strangers… where people will tell you what to do, and when to do it… when to get up, when to sleep— that will drive anyone crazy,” she declared. “It will deteriorate your health and you will die faster.”According to the National Development Strategy 2001-2010 report, chapter 26, senior citizens almost unanimously expressed a preference for remaining in their own communities and homes rather than live in either public or private institutions.The strategy indicated that some 20 years ago, part of the value system of Guyana was the respect for the elderly and a widespread acceptance of the need to care for elderly parents and other relatives. However, that has changed as society developed.It states that: “today, given the dispersal of families, many elderly people live alone, with all of their children overseas, and there is a lack of services to fill the gap. Across different social strata,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, they face loneliness, due in part to this disintegration of the family structure, but also to the dearth of facilities which can provide them with opportunities for participating in recreational activities and for social interaction.”So far Loncke’s Agency has employed over 200 nurses and caregivers to provide home-based care for the elderly. Being the first of its kind in Guyana, the organization has extended its service to Berbice, where it provides services for the elderly, disabled and children.The agency also offers physiotherapy and services to pregnant women in need of care, along with specialty care for persons living with HIV or Cancer. Nevertheless, the bulk of clients are pensioners. Loncke stated that more and more children are requesting their services to care for their elderly parents at home. This demand has spread to Linden, where the agency will be opening a branch in February 2016.But with the demand came an almost crippling challenge—most of these seniors do not have the fiscal means to solicit home care services.“It’s saddening to see these people in need of care and not being able to get it,” Loncke said. Her agency has, therefore, started to create payment packages based on the family’s budget or that elderly person’s budget.“We try to accommodate everyone. So if it’s just one hour a day or half an hour, we will provide the care, because we understand how critical it is for our elderly people to dwell in comfort,” she said.According to the Pan American Health Organization/ World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) Healthy Aging and Non-Communicable Diseases report, about 50 % of the elderly population in Latin America and the Caribbean lack the financial resources they need to meet their daily needs. One in three has no retirement, pension or paid employment. PAHO/WHO has made health aging a priority since the Americas has become the home to the most rapidly aging population in the world.According to the organization’s study, by the year 2020, the Americas will have 200 million older adults (50% of which will be living in LAC). Thus, with the cost of treating senior citizens with chronic escalating, PAHO/WHO has encouraged a primary health care approach and the incorporation of aging issues into national health planning.The report stated that “good health helps ensure independence, security and continued productivity in the later years.”Loncke further stated that home care can be relatively cheaper than having seniors living in institutional care homes. She indicated that they are often in a better position to regain their independence when they live at home. Thus, she noted that the agency was seeking the assistance of the Ministry of Social Protection to help create a “Care in the community” programme to provide subsidized care from the government to persons who cannot afford care but need it.“We are hoping that that would happen sometime soon in the future. We have written to the ministry and they have acknowledged that our type of service is needed in communities and so we are awaiting further discussions,” she said.She added they are hoping that once the initiative takes root, the ministry would carry out assessments and refer the clients to them.“Care for the elderly is designed to ensure that they live longer, and that should be our aim,” she said, adding that because of the lack of finances to pay for these services, the agency will also be opening a charity wing, to provide care and support to individuals who cannot afford the service.“With the charity wing we are seeking to collaborate with other organizations to help these people,” Loncke said.The National Development Strategy stresses that the elderly in Guyana do not make up a constituency whose needs are addressed. “They are not organised in their own interests, not even to the limited degree that other vulnerable groups are. This helps explain why (unlike say, Barbados), public and private companies and agencies are not required or even encouraged to offer rebates and other financial assistance to the elderly”. (Jeanna Pearson) |
