Action with the Elderly

Action with the Elderly: A Handbook for Relatives and Friends contains practical advice that will help the elderly citizens adjust in this mobile, technological, and rapidly changing society.
This handbook describes the services it offers as complementing the qualities of a ""good doctor, the good priest, the good neighbor, and even the qualities of the good parent."" The text addresses the value of independence in old age, with some case studies to drive the point. The book explains rendering help in a personal way through visits, conversation, or reading; the text likewise offers tips on helping in practical ways such as cooking, memory compensation, and offers of appropriate and nourishing food.
The book lists and explains other ways of caring such as maintenance of the home, appropriate health concerns, and communications. The text lists organizations and persons responsible for the elderly. The family doctor, voluntary organizations, and churches all contribute to the well-being of the elderly. The book then discusses the problems of the elderly such as psychological changes or bereavement. This handbook also offers advice on how to deal with serious mental disturbances, for example, depression, delirium, paranoia, or senility.
This book will prove its worth to relatives, friends, caregivers, voluntary workers, social workers, religious ministers, and administrators of home for the aged institutions.

Contenu

List of Illustrations
List of Photographs
Foreword
Editorial Introduction
Publisher's Note

1. Independence in Old Age
   The Blind Person
   After Hospital
   Fear of Attack
2. Helping in a Personal Way
   Sympathy and Understanding
   Visiting
   That Personal Touch
   Conversation
   Leisure
   Reading
   Family
3. Helping in a Practical Way
   General Aspects
   Compensating for Memory Difficulties
   Food
   Cooking by Gas
   Warmth
   Kitchen
   Bathroom
   Bedroom
   Money
   Legal Matters
   When Someone Dies
4. Other Ways of Helping
   Preventing Falls and Fires
   Maintenance of House and Garden
   Security of the Home
   Pets
   Transport
   Getting Professional Help
5. Health
   Taking Medicines
   Sleep
   Sex
   Eyes, Ears, Teeth and Feet
   Recovery from a Stroke
   Aids for the Disabled
   Control of Bladder and Bowel
6. Communications
   Telephones
   Intercoms
   Alarm Systems
7. Those Responsible for the Elderly
   Official Community Services
   Voluntary Community Services
   The Churches
8. Problems of the Elderly
   Psychological Changes
   Retirement
   Bereavement
   Thinking about Alternative Accommodation
9. Serious Mental Disturbances
   Depression
   Senility
   Delirium
   Paranoid Reactions
   Mania
   Legal Aspects of Treatment
10. Visitor's Charter
    Acknowledgments
    Chapter Notes
    Further Reading
    Useful Local Addresses
    List of People Being Visited
    Appendix
    Index