Summary
Nursing homes are vital in the care of the elderly population. The elderly have a place to be hosted and taken care of by professional caregivers who also provide them with guidance and counseling. Thus, the elderly are entitled to receive professional care and proper treatment from caregivers. The paper will profoundly detail the population of older adults in nursing homes and the event in the research at hand.
Research Portion
I learned numerous lessons about the culture of the elders living in nursing homes after diving deeper into the material from scholarly sources. I, therefore, discovered four vital lessons from interactions with elders living in nursing homes. These include the noticeable customs, practices, and behavior portrayed by the elderly and the shared attitudes, beliefs, and values relative to the older people in the nursing homes. Others were the critical historical events and figures influencing cultural and societal perceptions of nursing homes. Moreover, the pattern and history of immigration of older people moving into the United States from their countries of birth.
Based on the customs, practices, and behavior portrayed by the elderly population, I determined that they are both negative and positive. More so, the techniques described in the nursing homes of the elderly where the negative attitudes towards the people lead to a stressful and depressed state of the population (Cateau et al., 2021). Older adults who feel like a burden see their lives as less important, putting them at risk for addiction and social exclusion. Aging individuals are affected by cultural ideas that influence social norms and values. A happy attitude can positively impact their emotional well-being and ability to resist infections and diseases (Ohligs et al., 2020). One’s mood can influence relations and societal connections, and it can help one achieve more success in life.
Conversely, there are numerous common attitudes and beliefs relative to the elderly demographic. The large socioeconomic changes in recent years have also affected people’s attitudes toward the elderly. Industrial growth and modernity, according to researchers, have had a significant impact on the elderly’s wealth, influence, and reputation. Numerous successful individuals wish to put off old age because they believe it is a phase in life that should never come. Scholars in these fields have discovered that aging reflects the physiological aging process and our attitudes and ideas regarding growing older (Chauliac et al., 2020). Extremely rapid changes in society have both benefited and harmed the elderly. Many people in modern countries have seen new degrees of affluence due to thriving economies.
Additionally, there are important historical events and factors that affect the societal perceptions of the elderly population in nursing homes in numerous ways. The decrease in social bonds is a natural component of aging. Nevertheless, depression has been found to result from an affliction of long-term illness (Ohligs et al., 2020). Depression is ubiquitous in older people, affecting 7% of the population. Getting older has a negative connotation in a culture that encourages youthfulness above everything else. Sexual identity, race, and socioeconomic status all influence the caring of elders. Growing old in North America has changed dramatically during the last century. Many American homes in the late 1800s and early 1900s had multigenerational families living together, and elders’ experiences and wisdom were valued (Ohligs et al., 2020). They were wise and supportive of their offspring, and they frequently assisted in raising their grandkids.
Furthermore, in the United States, there are reckoned historical patterns in the migration of the elderly population into the United States. The designs used for migration include state-to-state or from country to country. Thus, immigration reduces as individuals age, as senior citizens migrate less than the younger generations. As a means of decreasing human resource needs for immigrants, aging could lead to reduced emigration of people of all ages. Aging may damage employment opportunities and well-being by limiting mobility (Ohligs et al., 2020). During 1870 and 1900, many immigrants came from Northern and Western Europe. However, new immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe quickly became America’s most extraordinarily powerful entity. Cateau et al. (2021) add that the number of senior immigrants in the United States increased by 70% over 20 years, between 2.7 million in 1990 reached 4.6 million in 2010. In 2010, one in every eight Americans aged 65 and up was foreign-born, a figure that is anticipated to rise.
Historical and Current Oppression of the Elderly Population
Consequently, there is a perception that existence is difficult for older adults due to many of the adverse consequences of aging. However, older persons must make several compromises, leading to feelings of hopelessness as a result of their situation. When people grow older, they are subject to age discrimination resulting in prejudice against the aged (Ohligs et al., 2020). The aging population is entirely reliant on caregivers when their physical capabilities deteriorate, increasing their risk of maltreatment (Rosén et al., 2020). Giving the elderly the opportunity to make a difference in the community is one of the few actions we could take to address the concerns.
Additionally, the need for care facilities would increase in the coming years due to an aging population and longer life spans. Even though many nursing homes provide excellent care, elder abuse and mistreatment can emerge. On a noteworthy scale, elderly individuals are the ones who must decide if they want to continue living freely or enter a nursing facility. Numerous incidences of elder abuse and exploitation go unreported because the aged are scared to disclose it to the authorities and their families (Seddigh, 2020). Age discrimination has been shown to impair the aging demographics’ access to quality healthcare during functional requirements and coding between the nurses and the patients (Hu et al., 2021). Physicians pay less attention to it or find out more information from the elderly; instead, they value and encourage the younger ones more because they supply less health information preferred to the elderly individuals.
The Attended Events
The two events I attended at the nursing homes for the elderly were the physical group exercise and the self-care sessions. The experience was so satisfying and breathtaking for one who has never experienced it. The group exercise is done in groups, and the activities include short races and jogging. The training sessions, such as yoga and dancing, are fun and enable the aged to develop balance and coordination to prevent accident falls.. Regular programs are scheduled and offered to seniors and assist them in relieving muscle tension and being more active. It is a fantastic method for individuals who are suffering from muscular deterioration and pain. Seeing the older adults involved in the exercise accompanying it was satisfying and pure bliss to participate in the group exercise and experience to be reckoned.
Secondly, I attended self-care sessions and spa specials, where I taught the elderly the importance of self-care. The need for self-care is critical as individuals get older; taking care of them should be a top priority. Numerous elderly care establishments provide opportunities for the aged to express their affection for themselves, such as specialized days that include hairdressing, massaging and even skin care products. This routine allows them to enjoy their off days at the nursing homes. Every person deserves a considerable chance to concentrate on oneself, relax, acquire new skills, and enjoy their lifetime (Cateau et al., 2021). Caregivers, lifestyle managers, and perhaps even family and friends must understand what they want to accomplish and thus support them to make the best of their time in nursing homes.
Response During Participation
The response during the participation was satisfying and partly emotional to the elderly individuals during the exercises. The self-care events and sessions were lively, and including I enjoyed them. Still, on the other side, I pitied some of them after reflection by several of them that some individuals are worried about losing their freedom and identity after moving into a nursing facility as it might be a life-changing experience. It was extremely witnessing an older person breaking down into tears. Henceforth the revelations were appealing and disturbing to sharing one or more revelations (Chauliac et al., 2020). Therefore, I confirmed that exercising is essential for healthy; all you have to do is make a special effort and practice in your everyday life. Exercise has been demonstrated to prevent disease, reduce the chance of falls, enhance the quality of life, increase emotional relationships, and enhance mental performance in aging people. Regardless of your age, this would inspire you to incorporate fitness into the older population’s daily routine to ensure wellness and keep away from diseases.
Furthermore, during the self-care session, I noticed that several elderly individuals could not do self-care for themselves. There was a flow of emotions when some elders asserted that residents in nursing homes require assistance from staff to make social connections. Still, many have found that this assistance is insufficient. Elderly residents perceive the staff as the personnel who are already primarily incredible for holding order and control and spend considerable time handling administrative duties. Consequently, individuals keep to themselves because they characterize their neighbors as unpleasant and inactive. They make declarations expressing their hate and disgust for their neighbors. Individuals in nursing homes say that their individuality is undervalued within the facility. The motivations of the aged for participating in activities are not well considered. The staff rewards dependent behavior more often than independent behavior. As a result, the locals rarely employ their strengths since they believe their capability is not valued.
Critical Elements Learned
They are several elements I learned in participating in the events that as the group exercising and the self-care session. The details are also crucial to older adults in various ways. Therefore, the elements included togetherness, trust, and respect, portrayed in several ways. Henceforth, during all the nursing homes, individuals have to partake in different and personal activities. Still, they have to wait for others as they presume that doing something together is more efficient and effective than participating in the activity solely. I saw that it was the best slogan ever because even during the activities to be attended, they were to be done in groups and cohorts when a need arose. The individuals attested that the togetherness element worked out properly even though they come from different backgrounds and environments.
The respect and trust elements were also crucial among them in every way. However, it is important to receive respect and respect for others, particularly the caregivers at large it was a surprise when we interacted as the age-mates. Yet, they were elderly individuals who directed that respect is an element and a virtue when mastered. It surpasses everything. Honor will be awarded without expertise, and more so, other positions are awarded through respectable levels of concern. Substantially trust was a virtue embraced by the elderly demographics based on the sharing of information in nursing to be personalized and confidential. Therefore, trust was to be of top-notch. The value of mutual respect and trust is highlighted by correcting, which improves the trustee’s susceptibility and reliance. Trust is considered a process, with time, dependence on everyone else, risk, and vulnerability listed as critical characteristics (Hu, 2021). Based on the caregivers, it is also the primary virtue and tool because the caregivers’ ability to make a significant therapeutic relationship with patients is influenced by trust, one of nursing’s derivative instruments. Nursing’s dependability is a valuable property that must be safeguarded, as destroyed trust is difficult to regain.
Counseling Theories
Furthermore, based on the elderly population in nursing facilities, there are two central cogitative behavioral and family system theories. Cognition psychologists seek to confront their individuals’ flawed thinking processes to develop a specific solution to their difficulties. Behavior therapy, perception therapy, behavioral interventions, and acceptance and commitment therapy are among today’s most popular cognitive-behavioral therapy (Chauliac et al., 2020). According to humanist psychotherapy beliefs, individuals have enough capabilities to conduct healthy and effective lives, and difficulties arise due to limited or inaccessible dilemma resources. Individualistic psychologists believe their purpose is to assist clients in discovering and accessing the fewer resources they have to solve difficulties on their own rather than to give advice here about how to solve the problems (McGoldrick et al., 2020). Dry Murray Bowen proposed the family systems theory, which states how one can study persons in isolation from each other, but instead, as family members, in a grieving family.
Communities are complicated things of complex and interconnected humans, including one who can comprehend in isolation. A family is a structure whereby each individual has a function to fulfill and rules to follow (McGoldrick et al., 2021). Within the program’s limits, patterns emerge when a member’s performance affects and influences the behavior of others in controlled situations. Sustaining the same behavioral way within a system can contribute to family equilibrium, leading to disorder. If a spouse is depressed and unable to get a part, the spouse may also need to meet new challenges to make a difference (Chauliac et al., 2020). The shift in roles may keep the relationship stable but also push the household into divergent stability. Because the woman may not be happy about the new arrangement, it may become unstable.
References
Cateau, D., Bugnon, O., & Niquille, A. (2021). Evolution of potentially inappropriate medication use in nursing homes: Retrospective analysis of drug consumption data. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, 17(4), 701-706.
Chauliac, N., Leaune, E., Gardette, V., Poulet, E., & Duclos, A. (2020). Suicide prevention interventions for older people in nursing homes and long-term care facilities: A systematic review. Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology, 33(6), 307-315.
Hu, Z., Zhu, X., Kaminga, A. C., Zhu, T., Nie, Y., & Xu, H. (2020). Association between poor sleep quality and depression symptoms among the elderly in nursing homes in Hunan province, China: A cross-sectional study. BMJ Open, 10(7), e036401.
McGoldrick, M., Hines, P. M., Garcia Preto, N., & Petry, S. (2021). Reflections on our efforts to help mental health agencies become more “culturally competent.” Family Process, 60(3), 1016-1032.
Ohligs, M., Stocklassa, S., Rossaint, R., Czaplik, M., & Follmann, A. (2020). Employment of telemedicine in nursing homes: Clinical requirement analysis, system development, and first test results. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 15, 1427.
Rosén, H., Ahlström, G., & Lexén, A. (2020). Psychometric properties of the WHOQOL-BREF among next of kin to older persons in nursing homes. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 18(1), 1-10.
Seddigh, M., Hazrati, M., Jokar, M., Mansouri, A., Bazrafshan, M. R., Rasti, M., & Kavi, E. (2020). A comparative study of perceived social support and depression among elderly members of senior day centers, elderly residents in nursing homes, and elderly living at home. Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research, 25(2), 160.