bit.ua How to take care of seniors?

Elderly people need special attention. And it is not only about daily routine and a healthy diet. Together with the Depend bit.ua brand, we spoke with Yulia Parko, the coordinator of the “Address assistance” project of the “Zhyttelyub” charity fund and the coordinator of the “SuperGrandchildren” volunteer club, and learned how to take care of modern life-lovers.  

What do you do at the Zhittelyub charitable foundation?

I coordinate the “Address assistance” project, which is designed to meet the basic needs of old women, solve their household problems, and provide any necessary help and support. After all, there are no other people’s Ba and Di! This slogan is the main message of our project. Sometimes we face difficult stories face to face, but this is not a reason to be sad, but a real opportunity to be useful and help a specific person.

What advice do you have for beginners who are just starting to care for the elderly?

Lonely and immobile elderly people primarily need attention and care, as well as elementary communication and support. Therefore, it is better to start with a sincere conversation about life and a discussion of urgent needs. It is worth questioning, paraphrasing and showing empathy as often as possible. When we question, it is also a manifestation of our ability to listen, which helps to communicate successfully in the future.

What is the peculiarity of caring for people of respectable age?

It is a common opinion that older people degrade intellectually, do not benefit society, do not live a full life, but live long. This significantly affects the behavior of older people, as a result of which their own self-esteem decreases. However, the aging years can be active and enjoyable. Much depends on the person himself, his environment, state of health and physical activity, and most importantly – on the corresponding emotional mood.

It is extremely important to maintain a positive attitude in communication with those who love life. Even when a grandparent begins to cry and complain about life, it is worth switching attention to encourage them.

How to ensure the optimal daily regimen for Ba and Di?

The formation of physiological habits has a positive effect on the health of Ba and Di. For example, it is useful to eat on schedule. Thus, hunger will appear at certain hours, and this will indicate that the digestive system is ready to work.

The habit of falling asleep and waking up at the same time is a guarantee of deep sleep. It is also important not to forget about motor activity – exercise and walks in the fresh air. After the walk, a daytime nap or a quiet type of leisure (reading, needlework, chess, etc.) will be useful. This mode does not allow the body to relax, keeps it in good shape. Thanks to this, people of the third age do not feel longing, uselessness and self-flagellation. The great-grandchildren walk a lot with Ba and Di, and also play board games with them.

What should be in the diet of Ba and Di?

Food should be varied and balanced. Among our wards, the majority are those who cannot afford even buckwheat, let alone meat and fruit. After receiving a pension of 2-3 thousand hryvnias, paying for expensive medicines and utilities, many people find themselves with an empty refrigerator. That’s why we try to provide food kits to all our wards, especially during quarantine. Thanks to our great-grandchildren (volunteers of the foundation), we deliver approximately 1,500 grocery sets to addresses in Kyiv every month.

And what about the hygiene of adults?

Age changes are a natural process for which no cure has yet been invented. One of the common problems is urinary incontinence in adults. Most keep their problems silent and do not tell their relatives or doctors about them, because it is too delicate and intimate a topic.

Properly selected hygiene products give the patient a sense of confidence, because they reliably absorb liquid, reduce the risk of infectious diseases and control unpleasant odors. And most importantly, they give the opportunity to live an active life.

Among our wards, Depend products are in great demand, because they have many advantages. First of all, it is quality, and secondly, ease of use and an individual approach (there are female and male hygiene products) taking into account the anatomical features of the body. The product provides 100% protection against leaks and unpleasant odor for the whole day, provides comfort like ordinary underwear, and it is invisible under clothes.

A -30% discount applies to the first purchase of Depend products.

On December 30 of last year, we received a real New Year’s gift from the Depend brand – a year’s supply of products for our Ba and Di. Infinite gratitude for such necessary and significant help to our lovers of life, who would not be able to afford this comfort on their own.

What leisure activities should be organized for people of a respectable age, especially now, in quarantine conditions?

Of course, all our activities, educational, entertainment and sports events, which take place within the framework of the “Regime” project, had to be transferred from offline to online during the quarantine period. Every lover of life using a smartphone or computer can participate in online webinars and workshops, join online yoga and pilates training, learn English and Spanish in our courses, and enjoy concerts and performances, not leaving the house. In addition, we are very proud that we have our own publication – the newspaper “Zhyttelyub”, which we deliver to our wards along with food and medicine.

How to properly provide psychological support?

Often, people of the golden age have a feeling of their own uselessness, as if they have become a burden to those around them due to the need for care and attention. This is how self-confidence is lost, feelings of loneliness and isolation appear, sleep patterns change, tension and stress arise, which lead to difficulties in adapting to new situations.

In the store, you can observe how the saleswoman or customers complain about an older woman who takes a long time to take her wallet out of her bag. Or when the driver raises his voice at an adult lady who is slowly climbing the stairs to the transport. It is necessary to realize that they do it unintentionally, it is really difficult for them. Maybe someone has difficulties with vision, someone with hearing. By expressing our irritation, we thereby show contempt for these people.

The cause of acute psycho-emotional changes can be both age-related changes in the human body (senile psychosis, dementia (Alzheimer’s disease), and long-term depression due to life losses, chronic diseases, etc. Among our volunteers are psychologists, they provide psychological support to those who love life. In addition, recently one of our partner public organizations UVS (Ukrainian Voluntary Service) has introduced a psychological support hotline that anyone can contact.

Where can I turn for help if necessary?

At the “Zhyttelyub” fund, we collect requests for assistance to the elderly. If you live in Kyiv and know lovers of life who are in a difficult life situation and need help in connection with the quarantine, write to us with the subject of the letter “Help Needed”. Our mail: happyoldcomua@gmail.com.

We are only able to help directly in Kyiv, but thanks to our online platform superonuki.com, anyone who wants to can create a fundraising project for the needs of a specific elderly person in any region of Ukraine.

During the existence of the platform, we were able to collect more than 4.5 million UAH and help more than 7,700 Ba and Di throughout Ukraine. Among the implemented projects are successful stories of dreams coming true, ophthalmological operations and other types of medical care, purchase of hearing aids and medical equipment, satisfaction of household problems and basic needs of people of the golden age.

Regarding public institutions, there are local territorial social service centers that provide free social service, care and assistance to lonely elderly people.

Thanks to charitable foundations, volunteers and partner companies that provide essential goods, many seniors are living full and happy lives. Care is what Ba and Di need, so if you are taking care of your life-lovers, try to be attentive enough to them. Sometimes even things as inconspicuous as incontinence can ruin mood and self-esteem, so it’s important to notice all the subtleties and respond to the needs of your loved ones. And then everyone will be happy.