Many health professionals do not receive training to recognize the significance of frailty. Frailty is the result of multiple, interacting and complex health illnesses, which often accumulate as we get older. For older adults, serious chronic medical conditions, dementia (problems with thinking and memory), difficulty walking, and increasing problems doing day-to-day tasks often indicate that the person is in the final phase of their life. When overall health is declining and there is no available treatment to restore health, it may be time to think about a palliative approach. This approach provides the wisdom that ensures quality of life in the dying process.
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Honest and sensitive communication between doctors, patients and families is the key to better health decisions. As people get older, there are unique issues that may change the communication strategy. For example, 30% of people over the age of 80 have dementia. In that case, communication must become a family affair. Also, because there is no single health professional whose responsibility it is to see the full picture of health in an older person, this full picture is often not communicated. You and your family need to know how each health issue will impact upon your overall health and quality of life. Your doctor should describe your health issues in detail and what to expect in the future. Since you are the centre of the communication process amongst a number of health professionals, it is up to you to ensure that you receive a full and comprehensive picture from each one in a manner that creates a “true picture” for decision making. You are encouraged to bring as many of the health professionals into the same room at the same time with your family to build an integrated foundation of information for decision making that directly represents the elderly person.
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Elderly people often go into nursing homes because of the accumulation of multiple medical problems over time, resulting in frailty and dysfunctions in the ability to take care of themselves. Families worry about older adults with cognitive problems, memory problems and dementia, making it difficult for them to manage at home. These have impacts on day-to-day function, such as eating, bathing, dressing, managing medications and finances, and safety. Frequent falls are one of the top causes for people going into a nursing home because it's just felt to be unsafe. There might be trouble walking, and changes in strength or musculoskeletal changes that result in frequent falls. Incontinence has a significant impact in older adults, and that's something that also can stress families in terms of taking care of people. It's an issue that most people don't like to talk about. It has a lot of social stigma around it.
Trinity Health is a Catholic health care organization that acts in accordance with the Catholic tradition and does not condone or support all practices covered in this site. In case of emergency call 911. This site is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider. -
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LIFE (Living Independently for Elders) programs help people with dementia as well as their caregivers by offering medical, therapeutic and social support. Dementia is a catastrophic disease that sometimes hurts the caregivers more than the actual person with dementia. People with dementia as well as their caregivers need a lot of support. And LIFE programs can help with that.
Trinity Health is a Catholic health care organization that acts in accordance with the Catholic tradition and does not condone or support all practices covered in this site. In case of emergency call 911. This site is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider. -
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LIFE (Living Independently for Elders) programs are meant to take care of people who are determined nursing home eligible but want to stay in the community. LIFE programs take care of people who otherwise without this support and these services, and the support and services of their family and friends, may otherwise end up in a nursing home. So the LIFE program does what it can to serve them in the community.
Trinity Health is a Catholic health care organization that acts in accordance with the Catholic tradition and does not condone or support all practices covered in this site. In case of emergency call 911. This site is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider. -
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Following are some of the services offered by LIFE (Living Independently for Elders) programs:
- socialization activities
- on site nursing, therapeutic activities, dietary service and social workers
- health center and medical services including physicians and nurse practitioners
- recreational therapists
- transportation for participants to and from the center and appointments
Trinity Health is a Catholic health care organization that acts in accordance with the Catholic tradition and does not condone or support all practices covered in this site. In case of emergency call 911. This site is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider.
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You should consider a LIFE (Living Independently for Elders) program for your loved one if you want your loved one to stay in the community and maintain that tie. LIFE is an all-inclusive, comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach to taking care of frail older adults in the community. The prime aim of LIFE is to work with families and caregivers and friends to keep older people in the community and keep them out of a nursing home. LIFE programs understand the advantages of staying in the community and maintaining that tie.
Trinity Health is a Catholic health care organization that acts in accordance with the Catholic tradition and does not condone or support all practices covered in this site. In case of emergency call 911. This site is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider. -
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When people join a LIFE (Living Independently for Elders) program, sometimes cognitive abilites improve without medicines or any kind of medical intervention. It's purely getting out of the house, being with other people, listening to music, doing activities that they want to do with other folks, and getting their needs attended to. Those simple interventions are not costly. Simple interventions make life better for not only that participant, but for their caregivers.
Many older adults who've had their own way of sitting in the community, have been at home, watching a certain set of TV shows, and that's that. They've been resistant to joining a LIFE program. But they change once they come to a LIFE program and start attending the LIFE center, making friends with other people who are there, and getting to know the staff and the colleagues.
Trinity Health is a Catholic health care organization that acts in accordance with the Catholic tradition and does not condone or support all practices covered in this site. In case of emergency call 911. This site is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider. -
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You may be able to convince your loved one to consider enrolling in a LIFE (Living Independently for Elders) program by showing him or her the services that are offered and the expertise that the LIFE program has in caring for older adults and managing these complex cases. Your loved one may start realizing that there is some benefit. Also, there is a lot of help for caregivers. Helping them out with the stresses of day-to-day caregiving is a big convincing factor. The participant might see the benefits of this and come around to saying this might be something worth trying. Ultimately, it comes down to an individual choice.
Trinity Health is a Catholic health care organization that acts in accordance with the Catholic tradition and does not condone or support all practices covered in this site. In case of emergency call 911. This site is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider.