Many elderly people are no longer looked after by their families but are put in care homes or nursing homes. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend?
In recent years, care homes and nursing homes have become more ubiquitous than before. Caring for elderly people has shifted to placing them in care or nursing facilities. This development has a number of benefits like fully care and reducing isolation; however, there are some drawbacks as well.
One obvious upside to care and nursing homes is the level of care they give to elderly people. In other words, those facilities give full attention to elderly , in particular, providing daily activities, both mental and physical; reassuring that all the medicines are being taken; and making sure that everyone is provided with nutritious meals. Thus, enhancing their well-being. A further advantage is, as some people have dual careers, it is hard for them to always focus on their elderly. Owing to the fact that most people have full-time jobs, it leads to a decreased availability of family members to offer day and night care. These facilities, therefore, reduce their isolation.
On the other hand, there are significant disadvantages to care and nursing homes. These places lead to a lack of warmth of famIly. Although most of these facilities take good care of elderly, nothing is better than being with family. As a result, they lead to the feeling of abandonment. Another major disadvantage is abuse of elderly. Many elderly are sent to those places because they cant defend themselves which makes them vulnerable to abuse. For instance, there was devastating news that , in 2007, a caregiver in California State Hospital verbally abused the elderly living there.
In conclusion, while there are some benefits of care and nursing homes, it can also lead to the feeling of abandonment or abuse.