A night caregiver for the elderly is a professional who takes care of elderly or dependent people. A night caregiver is trained to offer personalized care and adapt to the care and needs of the person they care for. They can carry out their work day awake or awake, depending on the severity and dependency of the person receiving assistance.
Some benefits of having a night caregiver for seniors are:
1. They accompany the elderly, avoiding their loneliness
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), loneliness among older people is becoming an epidemic that only grows. For this reason, there must be awareness-raising efforts on the part of family members. This is where the night carer for the elderly plays a fundamental role, as they are the perfect alternative for the elderly to be accompanied in those cases. in those who do not have relatives or they cannot constantly take care of the person.
2. Increase in the quality of life of older people
Thanks to the services provided by a night caregiver, the quality of life of the elderly, as well as their family, will increase significantly, since the person who receives assistance will have help and support when carrying out day-to-day tasks, while their family may be relieved of work, having the certainty that their family member is in good hands.
3. The perfect option for people with mental illness
One of the great advantages of night caregivers is that, as their name indicates, they work mainly at night, so they will be able to provide permanent care to the elderly person during the hours of greatest instability.
The disorientation of people who suffer from mental illnesses or cognitive impairment such as dementia can increase during the night, which is why a night caregiver must remain alert to any intention of getting up from bed. cared person in question. This does not deprive you of being able to also have your rest during the night shift, but you must maintain constant attention.
4. A cheaper price
In general terms, being able to enter a residence is a complex task, both in terms of availability of places and costs, given that the fees are not affordable for everyone. Therefore, postponing this moment as long as the person’s health and dependence allow it is a somewhat less expensive option.
Obviously, it is more economical as long as it does not have to be covered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If only night care is needed, hourly care or home care on weekends, if it allows considerable savings while also guaranteeing your welfare.
5. Creation of an emotional bond with the dependent person
Being a night caregiver for the elderly is a very demanding job, but also very comforting, since the professionals will be able to spend hours with the person they care for and thus create a very strong bond.
The night caregiver will be present at all times and for everything the elderly need. From before going to sleep until they get up, and even including the time of dinner and/or breakfast. This translates into many hours of coexistence in which they will forge an increasingly closer bond that will translate into greater comfort, affection and trust. This is what guarantees that the care is of excellent quality.
Night accompaniment for the elderly. What does it contribute to families?
The nightly accompaniment of older people is a very important service for those families who cannot combine work and professional life with the care of their older relatives.
For this, there is the night carer service for the elderly, to make life easier, not only for the dependent person, but also for all their family members. In this way, the nightly accompaniment of older people provides the family with relief and peace of mind.
In addition, family members will also have the certainty of knowing that the night caregiver for the elderly will be in charge of providing all the care they need: medications, support when going to the bathroom, feeding, IV changes…
What does a night carer do?
A caregiver for the elderly is a person who has the necessary training to guarantee the correct care of an elderly person, as well as provide quality solutions in complex situations.
The duties of a night carer are:
– Constant supervision of the person being cared for: you must pay attention to the rest of the elderly person during the night and provide them with everything they need for a restful sleep: changing absorbent pads, moving around in bed, accompaniment every time they have to get up…
– Keep the person in optimal conditions of cleanliness and hygiene: night caregivers must guarantee correct hygiene during the night, especially for those people who require special needs such as those who wear absorbents.
– Nutrition control: night caregivers are also in charge of feeding the elderly, paying special attention to those who are fed via endogastric or nasogastric routes, or those who have to monitor their levels, for example glucose in diabetics.
– Cures and administration of medication: the night caregiver for the elderly will be in charge of providing the necessary cures, in case the person suffers from wounds, as well as regulating, controlling and administering the prescribed medication.
How to care for the elderly at night
The job of a night care provider for the elderly is very demanding, as she must pay attention to all the person’s needs and stay awake to supervise them.
There are two formats for caring for the elderly at night:
– Wake night caregiver: is the most in demand, since it implies that the night caregiver must be awake to provide the safety of the person they care for.
– Non-wake night caregiver: These are those caregivers of elderly people who do not need to be awake all night. They can sleep while the person in their care sleeps, however, they must be attentive in case at any time their attention is required for a specific need such as going to the bathroom, drinking water or changing position in bed.
