The prolongation of life, the fight against old age is the noblest task set before medical science. In the struggle for normal longevity, physical culture undoubtedly plays an important role.
Academician A.A. Bogomolets believes that physical education is equally important for a growing organism, and for an organism in the prime of its life, and for an organism that has already passed the peak of its life, but which physical education can and should help to stay near this peak for a longer time. In geriatrics, physical exercises are used to treat diseases of old age and represent a therapeutic physical culture. In gerontology, the main task of physical culture is to slow down the aging process, prolong active longevity, and improve the body. This is a complex but very promising problem in medicine.
Aging is not just wilting, it is a complex restructuring of the whole organism, a natural biological process in which age-related changes in the body lead to a gradually increasing reduction in its adaptive capabilities. It is known that in the process of aging, along with the development of characteristic changes in all organs and systems, peculiar compensatory-adaptive reactions arise. This is a very important point, as it allows you to actively influence the slowdown in the development of the aging process.
Physical training helps to stimulate, train these compensatory mechanisms and thus slow down the aging process, increase life expectancy, and most importantly, prolong active old age.
Muscular activity on the principle of motor-visceral reflexes is the natural and most powerful stimulator of metabolic processes, anabolism, the functions of all autonomic organs and systems, and the adaptive capabilities of the body. The flow of afferent impulses from muscle proprioceptors maintains the optimal ratio of excitation and inhibition processes in the cerebral cortex. This has a positive effect on emotional state an elderly person, which is manifested in a feeling of cheerfulness and cheerfulness. Improving the function of the central nervous system also contributes to increased blood supply to the brain during exercise.
The systematic performance of physical exercises affects the formation of positive conditioned reflex connections, at the same time weakening and even eliminating those temporary connections that underlie the early aging of the body.
Increased metabolism, oxidative processes during muscle activity prevents the accumulation of excess adipose tissue, reduces the level of lipids in the blood, prevents the deposition of cholesterol in the walls of blood vessels and the development of atherosclerosis. Physical exercises stimulate the normal functioning of various organs and systems: myocardial contractility increases, coronary blood flow improves due to the opening of reserve capillaries, pulmonary ventilation increases and gas exchange in the lungs improves, congestion in the pulmonary circulation decreases, normal chest mobility is maintained, motility is stimulated smooth muscles of the gastrointestinal tract. Strengthening the muscles, ligaments, maintaining normal mobility in the joints, physical exercises help long time maintain a high level of performance.
The importance of physical activity in the "update" is great hormonal background. Under their influence, the function of all endocrine formations is activated, which contributes to the rejuvenation of the body.
All work in the field of physical culture should be based on scientific foundations. Only a strictly dosed, optimal load for a particular person can bring benefits, which, like other methods of treatment, should be applied strictly individually, as prescribed and under the supervision of a doctor. If you prescribe an insufficient dose - the expected effect will not be, if you overdose - you can bring significant harm.
The dosage of physical activity in the elderly is a challenge. It should be remembered that its optimality should correspond to objective indicators of the state of health and physical fitness, and not be based on the well-being of an elderly person. Many diseases until a certain time may not be manifested by any subjective sensations. First of all, this applies to atherosclerosis of the coronary and cerebral vessels. The aphorism that a person is as old as he feels - cannot be taken as a basis for selecting physical activity in older people. Neglect of a thorough examination before physical education in an elderly person can lead to a tragic outcome.
The primary tasks of a doctor when deciding on the possibility of physical education for an elderly person are to determine his biological age, identify latent and latent diseases, as well as complications and residual effects associated with previously transferred diseases, and assess physical performance. After a thorough medical examination, it is recommended to send the subject to one of the four groups for physical education.
The first group includes persons with good physical fitness without pathological abnormalities.
The second group includes elderly people with minor deviations with good compensation.
The third includes patients who have deviations in their state of health, but who do not interfere with the implementation labor activity, as well as with poor physical fitness.
The fourth group consists of people with various diseases, which can only be dealt with physical therapy under the supervision of a physician.
With patients classified for health reasons in the first three groups, you can engage in health-improving physical culture, but people who are included in the third group should be treated with some caution. Health-improving physical education classes should be of moderate intensity, the load should be increased gradually, and it should correspond to the functional capabilities of those involved, while maintaining a certain reserve, the so-called margin of safety.
Taking into account the peculiarities of the elderly organism, exercises that require fast movements, sharp tilts of the torso and head, rapid changes in body position, which, in the presence of sclerotic changes in the blood vessels, can cause dizziness, tinnitus, loss of balance, falls and injuries should be excluded from classes. It is also necessary to avoid exercises accompanied by straining and holding the breath, which increases pressure in the pulmonary circulation, in the vessels of the brain, impedes blood flow to the heart, and can contribute to the development of emphysema. Difficult for the elderly and such exercises, during which you have to make unfamiliar movements, often change the position of the body.
Exercises for the elderly should be selected in such a way that all joints and muscle groups are involved in the load. All of them should be performed rhythmically, at a calm pace, smoothly, not accompanied by too much effort on the part. of cardio-vascular system. Breathing should be rhythmic, free, the patient should try to avoid holding the breath and straining.
The intensity of classes should increase gradually and always correspond to the functional capabilities of the students. Older people tend to tire quickly, so more frequent and longer rest intervals should be included in the sessions. The lessons themselves should be built emotionally and diversely using elements of sports games.
Physical culture in the elderly is recommended in the following forms: in the form of daily morning hygienic gymnastics (8-10 easy exercises for all muscle groups); in the form of physical education 2-3 times a week for 45-60 minutes on their own or better in a health group; daily walks; for certain trained persons, sports (tennis, skiing, swimming, skiing, etc.) and even participation in competitions are permissible. Classes conducted in health groups may include general strengthening exercises without the use of shells and with shells (dumbbells, maces, gymnastic sticks, medicine balls, etc.); exercises on the gymnastic bench, wall, balance and coordination, breathing, you can use bicycle and other simulators. The most physiological for the elderly are: normal and accelerated walking, skiing, skating, cycling, swimming and rowing at a calm pace, playing tennis, badminton, gorodki, volleyball according to lightweight rules.
Care must be taken when jogging, as this creates a large load on the joints of the lower extremities and the spine, which can lead to pain. More appropriate for the elderly is athletic walking, which is accompanied by greater energy consumption than running, since all muscle groups of the limbs, pelvic and shoulder girdle, body are involved in the load, but at the same time it does not create vertical shocks that injure the joints.
in a beautiful way physical training in old age are dance classes.
Elderly people, according to the state of their health, assigned to the first and second functional groups, can also participate in sports competitions. Ho in this case, they should not set themselves the goal of showing a high result, and the competitions themselves should not be associated with great physical and emotional stress. He should compete for speed and time. In the third and fourth groups, and in general for people in old age, competitions are contraindicated.
At the end of classes, a feeling of pleasant fatigue, satisfaction, and a good mood should appear. However, it is not always possible to trust the apparent good health. It is advisable to conduct regular monitoring during the patient's classes and a thorough medical examination at least twice a year.
Persons involved in physical culture should be able to control their pulse, prevent it from accelerating to a threshold value for them. It is advisable to keep a diary of monitoring your condition. Determining the threshold value of the pulse is recommended to be carried out at least once a year using bicycle ergometry with ECG recording in the offices functional diagnostics medical institutions or sports dispensaries. If it is not possible to conduct such an examination, it can be recommended for an approximate determination of the threshold value of the pulse for persons of 1 and 2 functional groups, the formula: 200 is age, and for persons of groups 3 and 4: 180 is age.
The medical examination should include the usual clinical methods. Of the functional tests, a test with 20 squats should be used, as well as orthostatic, coordination tests, etc. 150-170 beats per minute).
It must be remembered that only systematic physical exercises are effective. You cannot, for example, whole year be in physical inactivity, and during the holidays try to compensate for this with energetic physical exercises, sports games, etc. This can end tragically. There is even a term "holiday heart attack" that arises in such a situation.
One cannot agree with those who believe that the physical activity that older people have while working in their garden or summer cottage, as well as when doing household chores, is quite enough. Such work is not always physiological due to the predominance of monotonous movements that overload some muscle groups while underloading others, often performed in poses that impede the work of the heart and lungs. Elderly people while working on summer cottages you should avoid a long stay in a monotonous position, especially with the torso and head tilted down, try to change the nature of the work performed more often in order to involve various muscle groups in the load, and also rest more often, while it is desirable to perform relaxation exercises for the muscles that account for static load, breathing, light exercises for muscles that are not involved in work.
When organizing classes for physical education for the elderly, an individual approach is extremely important both in choosing individual exercises and in determining the magnitude of the total load and its duration. If healthy people are young and middle age age itself characterizes physiological features organism and to a certain extent determines their working capacity, then among older and elderly people the degree of difference in the level of working capacity can be very significant. So, there are many elderly people who maintain their working capacity at the level of young people and even higher, participating in competitions that require great endurance (marathon running, long-distance swims, cross-country skiing, rowing, etc.). At the same time, at this age, most people note a significant decrease in working capacity, which is associated with physiological changes in the body, a decrease in physical activity, and a weakening of the general state of health.
Therefore, the selection and appointment of physical activity in this contingent of persons should be carried out only after consultation with a doctor, exclusively individually and carefully, taking into account the basic principle of medicine - do no harm!
Among the most important problems of our time facing the world community, the problem of population aging has come to the fore.
The scientific approach to the problem of aging began to develop relatively recently. One of the reasons for this is the rapid development of biological science, the emergence of new methodological approaches that made it possible to penetrate into the innermost secrets of a living organism, to understand the basic laws of its development and life, and thus put the question of the causes and mechanisms of aging on an experimental basis.
Another reason is that for the first time in the history of medical science, despite tremendous advances in the understanding, recognition and treatment of diseases, the average life expectancy of a person, approaching economically developed countries by the age of 70, either stopped increasing, or increases extremely slowly.
This situation makes the medical and social problems of the elderly and old age currently very relevant.
Age classification
The definition of old age refers to the number of "eternal problems". There are discussions around what is considered old age, its first manifestations, what is the age of old age and what are its boundaries. Difficulties in definition are connected, first of all, with the fact that aging is a long, smooth process, there is no exact boundary that separates old age from middle age. In general, aging is an individual process, in some people it starts earlier, in others later.
Comparison of various age classifications gives an extremely varied picture in determining the boundaries of old age, which range widely from 45 to 70 years. It is characteristic that in almost all age classifications of old age one can see a tendency towards its differentiation into sub-periods. At the same time, it should be taken into account that the aging process does not end with its onset, it continues, and there are big differences between aging people.
At different periods in the history of society and in different cultures the beginning of old age was defined as follows: Pythagoras - 60 years old, Chinese scientists - 70 years old, English physiologists of the 20th century - from over 50 years old, German physiologist M. Rubner - 50 years old age, 70 years old - respectable old age. In recent decades, it has been proposed various options age classification for the late period of human life.
D. Bromley's classification distinguishes five cycles of development. In addition, each cycle in turn is divided into several stages. The “adulthood” cycle consists of three stages: early adulthood (from 21 to 25 years old), middle adulthood (from 25 to 40 years old), and late adulthood (from 40 to 5 years old). The pre-retirement age (from 55 to 65 years) stands out as a special transitional stage. The cycle of "old age" begins at the age of 65 and also includes three stages: retirement (from 65 years old), old age (from 70 years old), the third stage, designated as the finish line, essentially includes the period of senile illness and dying.
Yu.B. Garnavsky proposes to divide the entire period of late age into separate groups: elderly age(it is also called involutional or presenile) - from 50 to 65 years; senile age - from 65 and above.
E.S. Averbukh, a domestic psychiatrist conventionally distinguishes the age of 45-60 years as a post-reproductive (climacteric) period preceding the elderly (presenile - 60-75 years) and senile (75-90 years) age. According to the author, people over 90 years old should be considered centenarians.
According to the documents of the World Health Organization (WHO), the age from 60 to 74 years is considered as old; 75 years and older - old people; age 90 years and older - centenarians.
In foreign literature, there is a distinction between "young elderly" - 65-74 years old, "old" - 75-84 years old and "very old" - 85 years and older. WHO, referring to the UN decision of 1980, the age of 60 is recommended to be considered as the border of transition to the group of the elderly. According to international criteria, a country's population is considered old if the proportion of people aged 65 and over exceeds 7%. According to this indicator, the population of Russia can long ago be considered as such, because about 20% of its citizens (that is, every fifth Russian) belong to the above age category. And in several dozen regions of the country specific gravity The elderly population in rural areas already exceeds 30%.
Of course, all these divisions are conditional, precise boundaries different periods human life cannot be established, since it is a continuous development, and the age-related changes that occur in the body are numerous and varied. So, conditionally, a person is considered old from the age of 75, that is, 15-20 years after he retires. In domestic science, the following scheme of age periodization:
- - Elderly age 60-74 years for men, 55-74 years for women.
- - Senile age 75-90 years for men and women.
- - Long-livers - 90 years and older men and women.
There is also a retirement age, the boundaries of which are set by the state. When determining retirement age proceed from the chronological age - the number of years lived.
There is the concept of functional age, which reflects the age-related dynamics of physiological functions, is determined by the genetic component, lifestyle, past diseases, stressful situations, physical, mental and intellectual activity; psychological age - a group of indicators characterizing age-related measurements of the psyche; biological age - an indicator of the level of deterioration of the structure and functions of the body.
The distinctions for periods are conditional, since the calendar and biological, as well as psychological age do not always coincide.
From this article you will learn:
What are the features of old age
What are the psychological characteristics
How physiological features manifest themselves in elderly and senile people
What are the benefits of caring for the elderly?
Who can help care for elderly relatives
At present, the social situation, the focus on youth, on an intensive lifestyle create a certain insecurity for people of age. The most acute vulnerability is observed in the social and psychological position of the elderly in society.
The concepts of "old age" and "old people" it is customary to give a negative meaning, to consider it synonymous with the words "obsolete", "inferior". This situation is reflected in the self-awareness of older people and the appeal to them of the younger generation. To correct the situation, you need to understand the characteristic features of older age and take them into account according to your abilities.
What are the features of the elderly and senile age
Aged people are usually referred to as 60-65 years old. Most of them are active, do not quit their jobs when they retire, contribute to the life of their children, and often devote a lot of time to their grandchildren. Of course, after the age of 65, the body of every person experiences a restructuring of the immune, genetic and hormonal systems. All tissues and systems of the body undergo changes. Often, health deteriorates. Significantly changing social status.
At that time Human aged needs an influx of additional vital energy . Friendly communication, physical and intellectual activity, a prosperous family environment, a positive attitude to life give pensioners the feeling that they an important part society. It is imperative to help health with the help of nutrition rich in vitamins and timely affordable medical care. Often, religion gives meaning to existence, inspires and gives vitality and health.
It is noteworthy that with retirement they often make themselves felt hidden abilities, many people can finally will make wishes come true for which there was no time before: they go fishing, go to theatrical performances, philharmonic concerts. They are fully invested in creating comfort in summer cottages, spending time with friends, and finally they can get carried away in the proper measure with their favorite pastime. This lifestyle pushes back the feeling that life has already been lived. It is especially important for older people to be able to appreciate every moment of existence, enjoy the moment, be attentive to well-being, take care of their appearance and strive for an active life.
Features of old age
Old age is inevitably followed by old age.- a special stage in the development of personality. In our time, the average threshold for life expectancy has risen and old age is considered to be the age of 75 years. Centenarians are people who live more than 90 years.
With the advent of old age, age-related changes are more and more clearly visible: the general state of the nervous, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and other body systems is not changing for the better.
Daily body cells die, blood vessels, tendons, connective tissue lose their former elasticity. The functioning of the body deteriorates. The reactions of the body are no longer the same, the muscles weaken, the joints and bones undergo changes. The work of the heart slows down, blood circulation is less intense, processes of degeneration of the liver, kidneys, and digestive system occur.
Such internal changes in the body are invariably reflected in appearance: the skin becomes wrinkled, dark spots. Hair becomes gray, teeth often fall out.
Old age It is a time of peace and contemplation. Even though physical activity quickly leads to fatigue, it is extremely beneficial for older people to take daily walks, meet with friends and family. Often, even after 70 years, many continue to be an example for the younger generation, remaining active and in demand, leading healthy lifestyle life, care about appearance, have rich life experience and are happy to share their observations. It should be remembered that the health of the elderly is greatly influenced by the atmosphere at home, relationships with loved ones, the care of relatives and wholesome food.
Psychological features of old age
Let's start, unfortunately, about the sad. The body ages and we have to put up with it. The wise try to preserve their health from their youth, there are elderly people who are not inferior in strength and erudition to the young. And yet, the reality is inexorable: to one degree or another, the body wears out, it needs more time to recover from stress, skin covering changes, more often there are diseases. In addition, over the years undergoing changes and the psychological sphere:
in the intellectual field it may be difficult to perceive new knowledge and ideas, the ability to navigate in unplanned conditions. Situations that in the early years did not raise any special questions suddenly become not easy: a change of residence, illness of loved ones or oneself. Especially strong stress is caused by situations that have not happened before: the departure of a spouse, restrictions in actions caused by paralysis, visual impairment to varying degrees;
in the emotional realm uncontrolled affective reactions occur (excessive nervous excitement), characterized by unreasonable sadness, a tendency to tears. The most ordinary things can cause such a state: watching a movie of old years or accidentally breaking a cup.
Often appear hidden features character. It is significant that purposefulness and the meaning of life are lost.
Psychologists distinguish several phases of psychological aging, which is in no way determined by the true age of a person:
at the first stage there remains a relationship with work, which was the main one before retirement. Usually, this is a matter directly related to the former specialization of the pensioner. These can be people of intellectual professions (teachers, writers, scientists, artists). The connection can manifest itself directly in the form of participation in past activities from time to time, and indirectly, by reading professional literature, writing works on the topic of specialization. When the activity ends abruptly with retirement, the person immediately proceeds to the second stage.
at the second stage there is a decrease in the sphere of interest through the end professional activity. In conversations, a greater place is given to conversations about everyday issues, discussions of what they saw on TV, experiences for the lives of children and grandchildren, and family news. And now among pensioners it is difficult to understand who was engaged in philosophy, who treated people, and who developed complex projects.
at the third stage the first place is occupied by concerns for personal well-being. The priority topic for conversations is the discussion of medicines and folk methods treatment. Newspapers devoted to health are subscribed, and not a single program on the topic is missed on TV. The local doctor, often, acquires the status of the most dear person.
at the fourth stage the whole meaning of life is focused on the preservation of this very life. The sphere of communication is extremely narrowed: the attending physician, relatives who contribute to the personal convenience of a person, neighbors living nearby. To comply with the norms of decency - congratulations on the holidays of old relatives and friends. Email correspondence may survive, but often there is only one interest—who else can be outlived.
at the fifth stage the needs of the vital property are reduced: food, amount of sleep, need for rest. Emotion and communication practically disappear.
Depressing scheme, but not mandatory! The physical withering of the body does not determine the psychological aging. In life, you can often see the opposite picture: many people "die" mentally much earlier, aging body at the physical level. This happens to those who, on their own initiative, are removed from society, which leads to a decrease in the number of personality traits, to the destruction of the personality structure.
If you look at older people aged 60-65 years who suffer from a sense of social uselessness and at long-livers who have saved and developed personal qualities, then the first ones will seem decrepit old people. For them it has already begun. stage of dying personality. The consequences of this stage are a sharp blockage of all reserves of working capacity and talents of a person. The end of many years of work causes fundamental changes in the structure of a person's personality.
It is safe to draw an optimistic conclusion: to live by increasing the actual age, but always arrive young at heart, to be alive,energetic and cheerful — Maybe! You might think that year after year it will be more difficult, but after all, wisdom is added, experience is gained. Motivation is important here - for whom is it all.
Living only for oneself cannot preserve the insatiable desire for existence. When a person is surrounded by children, grandchildren, friends, feels that he is needed by colleagues and useful to society, has a unique experience that he is happy to share, then such a pensioner will not lose his vivacity and youth.
Physiological features of the elderly
Over the years the skin is thinning, mainly on the hands, feet, in the area of large joints and bone protrusions. The skin becomes dry, wrinkled due to less sweat and sebum secretion. The amount of subcutaneous fat also decreases markedly, and the skin becomes flabby. The skin is easily injured, cracks, ruptures, ulcers occur, healing is much slower.
Throughout life hair undergo various changes under the influence of immune, genetic, hormonal influences and exogenous factors such as frost, heat, chemicals, mechanical trauma, etc. Atrophic and dystrophic changes are observed in the hair follicles and bulbs, the hair pigment disappears, brittleness appears.
Over the years the total amount of bone tissue is reduced. The articular cartilage becomes thinner, as do the intervertebral discs, as a result of which it develops pain syndrome, posture changes, the spinal column is often bent.
The amount of muscle tissue Also shrinking over time, this reduces the ability to work and overall activity. Rapid fatigue does not allow you to do things in the usual rhythm, to complete the work you have begun at a time.
Walk becomes slow, unsteady, the step is shortened, a characteristic shuffling appears. The time of support on both legs increases. It is no longer so easy for an aged person to turn around, it happens clumsily and with different speed in certain parts of the body.
Loss of elasticity is also observed in the lung tissue. The diaphragm and chest lose their former mobility. When inhaling, the lungs do not have the opportunity to straighten out entirely. Shortness of breath appears. Bronchial patency decreases, drainage "cleansing" bronchial properties are reduced. Insufficient ventilation of the lungs contributes to the development of congestive pneumonia.
The activity of the heart muscle becomes worse with age. First of all, this is reflected in the contractility of the heart muscle, with the help of which the heart drives blood throughout the body. During physical activity, the heart does not provide enough blood to the body, the tissues do not receive the proper amount of oxygen, this significantly reduces physical ability the person gets tired quickly.
Features of nutrition of the elderly
Elderly people should strictly observe the moderation of food and exercise regularly. These rules will help you avoid excess weight and slow down the formation of sclerotic processes in the body. In nutrition, you should adhere to uniformity, eat 4-5 times a day, avoid overeating.
The menu should contain meat and lean fish(mainly maritime), preferably boiled. It is better to exclude broths. Monitor the amount of fat and do not exceed the recommended amount. Animal fats, consumed in unlimited quantities, cause the development of the atherosclerotic process and interfere with the quality digestion of food. Refractory fats, such as lard, beef tallow, are best excluded from your diet. Sour cream is a great alternative to butter.
Carbohydrates predominantly must come from a complex, slowly absorbed polysaccharide - starch, which is found in cereals and potatoes. Cellulose has a special value in the menu of an elderly person. Vegetables and fruits help the separation of bile and are an excellent prevention of constipation.
Bread useful only wholemeal flour. The most useful cereals are buckwheat and oatmeal.
vitamins are best absorbed from natural products. When the need for vitamins cannot be filled with food alone, it is advisable to drink a course of multivitamins.
milk and dairy are the main source of calcium in the diet. Phosphorus is also found in dairy products and in meat, fish, legumes. Plant foods are rich in magnesium: cereals, legumes, nuts, vegetables, etc. Zucchini, pumpkin, prunes, potatoes, berries, fruits, cabbage are rich in potassium. Salt should be consumed as little as possible, limiting it to less than 15 g per day.
Features of caring for the elderly and senile: 4 valuable tips
Monitor the sleep of an elderly person
The duration of sleep for an elderly person is 7-8 hours a day, and in case of illness or exhaustion, even more. Nervous system elderly people very vulnerable, and the dream The best way her recovery. This should always be remembered. One night without sleep is enough to subsequently feel overwhelmed and in a bad mood.
Unfortunately, many older people suffer from sleep disorders in the form of insomnia. Often, older people like to take a nap during the day, but this does not affect the total amount of sleep due to the fact that they hardly sleep at night. To address sleep problems, your doctor may prescribe sleeping pills. Unfortunately, this method gives only short-term results. Tablets are addictive and cease to act with due force, increasing the dose leads to hypodynamia and apathy.
For these reasons, caring for the elderly is a must. takes into account the creation of comfortable conditions for a good rest. To achieve this, you need the following:
orthopedic not too soft bed;
during sleep must be observed silence;
suitable temperature indoors about 18-22 C. For access fresh air, it is necessary to ventilate the room;
take care of lung,but a warm blanket;
eat 4 hours before bed, it is better not to drink tea or coffee before going to bed, do not abuse sweets;
before bedtime very favorable take a little walk, breathe fresh air;
try to pick up leisure and interesting activities for an elderly person to cut, and even better put away day dream.
Elderly people often suffer from nocturnal diuresis, which is a consequence of age-related disorders of the kidneys. Reduce nighttime trips to the toilet simple adviсe:
do not drink anything before bed;
put on diapers, if required;
take diuretic drugs with caution and, if possible, refuse to take them.
Monitor the personal hygiene of the elderly
Caring for an elderly person, of course, includes maintaining personal hygiene. Particular attention should be paid to dry skin and use gentle moisturizing products, use regenerating creams to avoid discomfort tightness or itching.
Be prepared for accidents
The frequency of accidents increases with age, this is due to the general decline in the level of health of older people. The consequences of an accident in the form of a fracture, bruise or dislocation, etc., are much more difficult to experience at this age. If possible, you should try to avoid dangerous situations.
Do not move furniture in your home without the knowledge of the elderly person. It is better to remove excess, unnecessary furniture altogether;
carpeting will help reduce the risk of injury from a fall;
install comfortable handrails in the bath, use an anti-slip coating on the bathroom floor and in the bath itself.
Create a comfortable environment for the elderly
older people need from time to time in a calm secluded environment, try to allocate a separate room and treat this need with understanding;
there should be enough light in the room, regularly ventilate the room;
the height of the bed should be at least 60 cm, but such that when sitting on it, the legs reach the floor;
getting up from a deep chair can be difficult, so it's best to do without it.
What elderly care services are offered today?
Social worker
In every city, even with a small population, there is a social service. Social workers on the state initiative offer the following services caring for the elderly:
taking medications, monitoring the time and frequency of taking;
performing certain medical procedures or accompanying an elderly person to a medical center;
purchase of food and medicines at the expense of the ward or his relatives;
food preparation;
assistance in eating;
airing the room and cleaning;
accompaniment during walks;
washing and ironing clothes and bed linen.
Consider positive and negative sides social services:
this assistance is provided by the state for free To old people;
usually the social worker has medical education and knows how to act in critical situations;
assistance is provided once or around the clock;
in order to obtain assistance from a social worker, you will first have to submit an application to the commission of the district complex center or social service center. Social service assistance is provided solely on medical advice. This service is referred to as non-stationary reception. social service. Making all necessary papers takes quite a lot of time and effort;
can count on the help of a social worker not all categories elderly people ;
in case when old man does not correspond to the category that social service assistance is supposed to provide, it is provided only when a close relative of a pensioner is ill for a long time, has a disability, has reached retirement age, has a remote place of residence from a person in need of care, or is often on business trips.
Nurse
Nurse- is qualified medical worker who has undergone special training and understands all the features of caring for the elderly. This is a difficult job, in which only those who have not only education, but also certain personality traits - patience, diligence, cheerfulness, openness and the ability to empathize take root. Such character traits are rare, so finding a really good nurse is not easy.
Depending on the situation, it is possible to invite a visiting nurse for an hourly fee or a residential nurse when you pay a certain amount for a specified period of time.
What pros and cons of using babysitting services:
You pay only behind That time work nurses which you need.
the nurse comes to your house, therefore, old man don't have to move anywhere. Older people are often strongly opposed to leaving native home, so it can be defined as the main positive quality in nursing services.
nurse will should be carried out in your house a large number of hours. The presence of a stranger can cause some discomfort.
it may happen that even after careful selection of a nurse, may not develop a relationship with the patient or with one of the relatives.
the nurse will stay for a long time one on one with an older person who need help. You need to fully trust the professionalism, experience, personal qualities of the employee in order to be calm.
Specialized boarding house (care for the elderly with accommodation)
Exist specialized boarding houses caring for the elderly. Currently, boarding houses resemble cozy sanatoriums that provide the necessary medical services. They try to build such boarding houses in a quiet place with picturesque nature, not too far from the city, so that relatives can freely visit at any time.
Private boarding houses, in addition to providing accommodation and necessary care, equipped to suit the elderly with handicapped. These boarding houses offer a wide variety of services.. A developed system for rehabilitation recovery will be relevant for people who have received any injuries, undergone surgery or serious illnesses. In boarding houses, special emphasis is placed on organizing the leisure of the wards.
The elderly get opportunity again plunge into social life which has no less successful therapeutic effect than qualified medical care. In boarding houses there is an opportunity to communicate, concerts are held here, picnics are organized, and people are regularly introduced to various types arts at master classes, life-affirming films are shown.
Of course, it is impossible to get away from the negative assessment of state boarding houses in our country, the only plus of which is the low price. But judging wisely, the cost of a private boarding house is not much higher, especially, taking into account the quantity and quality of services provided, professionalism medical care. Private boarding house, of course, will cost more expensive, but this is the price of the health of a loved one.
Consider positive and negative aspects of staying in a private boarding house caring for the elderly:
the staff of a private boarding house is able to provide more qualified and professional help, than a visiting nurse. Boarding houses have all the necessary sophisticated equipment, which is simply not possible to have at home. The guests of the boarding house are monitored not only by highly qualified nurses, but also by a staff of doctors of various competencies. The caregiver can only provide the provision of life support and basic amenities, while in boarding houses a lot of attention is devoted to increasing the quality of life itself.
rehabilitation programs successfully restore health, animators do not let you get bored, cooks think over a healthy and tasty menu, and a circle of peers gives older people the joy of feeling like a full-fledged person again.
boarding houses provide flexible terms, focused on any needs and possibilities of customers.
an elderly person may live only a few days in a boarding house, maybe a few weeks or months. Permanent residence is also provided. Rehabilitation courses of various durations are also held.
in the boarding house there is an opportunity to choose for each guest from an extensive staff of workers with which friendly and trusting relations will develop.
over the past decade, private boarding houses have become very popular, new ones are constantly starting their work. Finding the perfect hostel need to spend time. You should not make a choice based only on the information provided by the site, you always need to come, see with your own eyes, talk with staff and guests;
very old people painfully perceive separation from their home. Moving is further complicated by the fact that boarding houses are perceived as gloomy and sad nursing homes. It will take a lot of personal tact and patience to show the boarding house exactly as it is - a comfortable country hotel, with cozy living conditions and a wide range of communication and interesting activities.
In our boarding houses we are ready to offer only the best:
Round-the-clock care for the elderly by professional nurses (all staff are citizens of the Russian Federation).
5 meals a day full and diet.
1-2-3-seater placement (for recumbent specialized comfortable beds).
Daily leisure (games, books, crossword puzzles, walks).
Individual work of psychologists: art therapy, music lessons, molding.
Weekly examination by specialized doctors.
Comfortable and safe conditions(comfortable country houses, beautiful nature, clean air).
At any time of the day or night, the elderly will always come to the rescue, no matter what problem worries them. In this house, all relatives and friends. An atmosphere of love and friendship reigns here.
The problem of identifying the boundaries of old age is quite complex, since the boundaries between the period of maturity and the onset of old age are difficult to discern. One of the founders of Russian gerontology - I. V. Davydovsky - categorically stated that "there are no calendar dates for the onset of old age." As a rule, when talking about older people, they are guided by the retirement age, but it is far from being the same in different countries, in different professional fields, for men and women. According to experts from the World Health Organization (WHO), the term “aging” seems to be more convenient, indicating a gradual and continuous process, and not a certain age limit.
In accordance with the classification of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, old age lasts from 61 to 74 years for men, from 55 to 74 years for women, and from 75 years old age begins. People over the age of 90 are considered long-lived, and the 60-year milestone is often highlighted, as in many countries this is the retirement age.
But this is only a gradation of biological age. More and more researchers come to the conclusion that the essence of age is not limited to the number of years lived. Quantitative indicators of age very approximately fix the physiological and social "quality" of a person and his well-being. Biological age is the basis for the prohibition or permission of various social roles or behavior at the appropriate age. But the calendar age of a person often does not coincide with the social age.
The main feature of this age is aging, which is a genetically programmed process and is accompanied by certain age-related changes in the body.
Changes with aging occur at all levels. At the biological level, when the body is more vulnerable, weakened, the likelihood of death increases. At the social level, when a person retires, his social status changes, social roles, his behavior. Also on the psychological, when a person is aware of the changes taking place and tries to adapt to them.
First of all, there is a gradual weakening of the body's activity. People who have reached old age are no longer so physically strong, their total energy supply becomes much less compared to their younger years. The activity of the vascular and immune systems of a person worsens. The vitality of body tissues is lost. Age-related dehydration leads to dry skin. It becomes more sensitive to irritations and sunburn, loses its softness and becomes matte.
The aging process also affects the human nervous system. There are changes in the sensitivity of different sense organs, a slowdown in the body's response to external influences. A person needs significantly more time than before in order to receive this or that information.
Hearing loss is clearly observed in a third of older people. Usually, these hearing losses are mild to moderate and are expressed in a decrease in the ability of a person to distinguish voices or other sounds from background noise.
Older people may experience visual impairment. Quite often there is a decrease in the ability to focus on objects due to loss of elasticity of the lens. It becomes difficult to perceive sharp contrasts and to consider small details.
At the psychological level, a number of changes are also taking place. The review of personal manifestations in old age makes the problem of the typology of aging extremely relevant for gerontopsychology. Many attempts have been made to describe the types of aging. We will give an example of the most famous of them:
F. Giese identifies three types of old people and old age:
1) an old negativist, (an elderly person denies any signs of old age);
2) an extroverted old man (old people of this type recognize the onset of old age by observing external changes, such as a difference in views with young people, the death of loved ones, changes in their position in the family, innovations in technology, social life, etc. .P.);
3) introverted type, (which is characterized by an acute experience of the aging process. A person does not show interest in the new, is fixated on memories of the past, is inactive, strives for peace, etc.)
The classification proposed by D. B. Bromley is also widely supported in the psychological literature. She identifies five types of personality adaptation to old age:
1) The constructive attitude of a person to old age. Elderly people are internally balanced, stay in good mood, interact with others. They are moderately critical of themselves and tolerant of the shortcomings of other people. They do not dramatize the end of their professional activities, they are optimistic about life, the possibility of death is perceived as a natural event that does not cause sadness and fear. They do not show aggression, depression, make plans for the future, confidently rely on the help of others. The self-esteem of this group of elderly and old people is quite high.
2) Dependency relationship. A dependent person is a person who is subordinate to someone, dependent on a spouse or on their child. Not having high life claims, he willingly leaves the professional environment. The family environment gives him a sense of security, helps to maintain inner harmony, emotional balance, not to experience hostility and fear.
3) Defensive attitude. He is characterized by exaggerated emotional restraint, straightforwardness in his actions and habits, the desire for "self-sufficiency". Elderly people of this type avoid expressing their own opinions, it is difficult to share doubts and problems. They sometimes take a defensive position even in relation to the family: if there are any claims, they do not express them. People with a defensive attitude towards the coming old age with great reluctance and only under pressure from others leave their professional work.
4) The attitude of hostility towards others. People with such an attitude are aggressive and suspicious, tend to shift the blame and responsibility for their own failures to others, and do not adequately assess reality. Distrustful and suspicious, avoid contact with other people. They drive away the idea of retirement in every possible way, as they use the mechanism of discharging tension through activity. People belonging to this type of attitude towards old age are prone to acute reactions of fear. They are hostile to young people, the fear of death is pronounced.
5) The attitude of man's hostility towards himself. People of this type avoid memories because they have had many failures and difficulties in their lives. They are passive, meekly accepting their old age. Lack of love is the cause of depression, self-claims and sadness. There is also a feeling of loneliness and uselessness. Own aging is assessed quite realistically: the end of life, death is interpreted by these people as deliverance from suffering.
I. S. Kon identifies the following social and psychological types of old age:
1) active creative old age, when veterans continue to participate in public life, in the education of youth, etc.;
2) pensioners are engaged in things for which they previously did not have enough time: self-education, recreation, entertainment, etc. This type is also characterized by good social and psychological adaptability, flexibility, adaptation, but the energy is directed mainly at themselves;
3) this group consists mainly of women who find the main application of their strength in the family, in the household; satisfaction with life in this group is lower than in the first two;
Along with the prosperous types of old age, I. S. Kon also draws attention to the negative types of development:
a) aggressive old grumblers, dissatisfied with the state of the world, criticizing everyone except themselves, teaching everyone and terrorizing others with endless claims
b) disappointed in themselves and their own lives, lonely and sad losers, constantly blaming themselves for real and imaginary missed opportunities, thereby making themselves deeply unhappy
Characterizing the social status of the older generation in Russia, the prevalence of loneliness and the problems it causes are revealed. Currently, the problem of lonely elderly people has come out on top in terms of relevance. And, the hospitalization of lonely elderly people is often due not to medical, but to social indications, tk. many people of retirement age do not have close relatives and require special attention from medical and social workers. Elderly people with poor health are more likely to feel socially isolated and need constant preventive, curative and social assistance.
The social resources of the elderly include such factors as the presence of family, friends, familiar environment. The availability of these resources is important, these factors are closely related to the psychosocial activities of the elderly and old people, i.e. emotional well-being in social and cultural contexts.
So, the elderly and old people do not form one monolithic group; they are as heterogeneous and complex as people in adolescence, youth, youth, adulthood, maturity. The changes that occur in the elderly and senile age depend on the degree of maturity of a particular person as a person and subject of activity. Often there is a preservation of high viability and working capacity of a person not only in the elderly, but also in old age. A large positive role in this is played by many factors: the level of education, occupation, maturity of the individual, and others. Of particular importance is creative activity personality as a factor opposing the involution of man as a whole.
Taking into account the above features in Russia, a legal framework has been developed that regulates social work with the elderly.
Lecture number 20. The concept of "gerontology", "old age", "aging". The main hypotheses of aging.
Gerontology is a science that studies the aging of living organisms, including humans. Gerontology has 3 main sections:
- Biology of aging- a section of gerontology that combines the study of the aging process of living organisms at different levels of their organization: subcellular, cellular, tissue,
organ and system.
- Geriatrics, or geriatric medicine- the doctrine of diseases of elderly and senile people: features of their clinical course, treatment, prevention, organization of medical and social assistance.
- Social gerontology studies the influence social conditions per person and develops measures aimed at eliminating the negative impact of environmental factors. This is the doctrine of the relationship between the age of an aging person, his health and performance in environmental conditions.
The main task of gerontology is to preserve the physical and mental health of the elderly and old people, their social well-being.
It is necessary to strictly distinguish between the concepts of aging and old age, cause and effect. Old age - naturally coming final period age development. Aging - a destructive process that develops as a result of the damaging effects of exogenous and endogenous factors that increase with age, leading to a lack of physiological functions of the body.
In the course of evolution, along with aging, the process of vitauction arose. Vitaukt - a process that stabilizes the vital activity of the organism, increases its reliability, aimed at preventing damage to living systems with age and increasing life expectancy. The processes of aging and vitauction occur together with the birth of the organism.
Exist individual characteristics aging specific to individuals.
natural aging characterized by a certain pace and sequence age-related changes corresponding to the biological, adaptive and regulatory capabilities of a given human population.
Premature (accelerated) aging characterized by an earlier development of age-related changes or their greater severity in a particular age period. Premature (accelerated) aging is promoted by past diseases, adverse environmental factors, and stressful situations.
delayed aging, leading to an increase in life expectancy, longevity. Age-related changes in these cases occur much later.
The development of aging is characterized heterochrony- the difference in the time of onset of aging of individual organs and tissues. Thymus atrophy, for example, in humans begins at the age of 13-15 years, the gonads - in menopause (48-52 years in women), and some functions of the pituitary gland remain at a high level until old age.
Heterotropy- the severity of aging processes is not the same for different organs and different structures of the same organ (for example, aging of the bundle zone of the adrenal cortex is less pronounced than the glomerular zone). Age-related changes in the body develop at different rates. For example, changes in the musculoskeletal system increase slowly with age; shifts in a number of brain structures occur late, but progress rapidly, disrupting its function.
A significant contribution to the formation of modern ideas about the essence of aging was made by the classics of Russian biology - I. I. Mechnikov, I. P. Pavlov, A. V. Nagorny, A. A. Bogomolets. Their research is characterized by the search for fundamental mechanisms of aging and the desire to develop tools that affect life expectancy. I. I. Mechnikov put forward autointoxication theory, stating that aging is the result of autointoxication of the body, associated with intestinal function. I. P. Pavlov associated the leading mechanisms of aging with changes in nervous activity. A. A. Bogomolets believed that the leading mechanisms of aging are determined by age-related changes in connective tissue. A. V. Nagorny and his school collected a large amount of factual material on the features of the course of aging and associated this process with the fading self-renewal of protoplasm.
There are two points of view on the causes of aging.
1. Aging is a genetically programmed process, the result of the natural development of a program embedded in the genetic apparatus. In this case, the action of environmental and internal factors can affect, but not to a significant extent, the rate of aging.
2. Aging is the result of the destruction of the body due to the inevitable damaging effect of shifts that occur in the course of life itself. In other words, aging is a destructive, probabilistic process that develops in an organism with genetically programmed properties.
Aging - a multi-causal process, caused by many factors, the action of which is repeated and accumulated throughout life. Among them are stress, illness, exposure to foreign substances, insufficient excretion of protein breakdown products, and hypoxia.
Aging - multifocal process. It occurs in different structures of the cell - the nucleus, mitochondria, membranes; in different types of cells - nervous, secretory, immune, hepatic, etc. The rate of age-related changes is determined by the ratio of aging and vitality processes. Vitaukt means not just the restoration of damage that occurs during the aging process, it is a mechanism for maintaining the reliability of the body, the ability to recover, to compensate for the violations that have arisen.
