Every so often you will be asked to go to a placement where the client is old – and I mean really old! These days people are living longer so sooner or later you can expect to find yourself somewhere with a person who is close to or over 100 years of age!

While you may find a male client of this age, it is far more likely that you are placed with a lady because women outlive men most of the time.

So, how do very old people differ?

There are some significant differences when a person reaches a ‘ripe old age.’

Hearing

It is very likely that by the time they are near 100 years of age they will be quite hard of hearing. Many old people (of any age) do not like to wear their hearing aids and older people are no different, so you may find that you need to speak very close to the best ear for them to hear anything.

It’s a good idea to turn down other distractions while you try to talk as things like the television simply add to the background sound and make it hard for you to be heard.

Sight

It is quite possible that a very old person will be short sighted or even legally blind. Often, they will be suffering from eye conditions such as Glaucoma so will not be able to see what is straight ahead of them, rather they will see things on the perimeter. Bear this in mind when offering your client something to eat or look at.

Balance

As people get old their balance deteriorates and they become very unsteady. Even if your older client can still walk with the help of a walker, the chances are it will not be too far, neither will they be very steady. It is important that you are walking right behind them. Placing your hands on their hips will give them more confidence as well as keeping them a little more stable.

Teeth

By the time many people reach very old age, they may have lost some of their teeth. While they may have dentures, many of them will not want to put them in because they may have forgotten how! Even if they can still clean their teeth, you should see to it that they are in fact brushing their teeth and not just sucking the toothpaste from the toothbrush!

Incontinence

This is something that as a live-in carer you will be dealing with eventually. Your older client may recognise that she wants to get to the bathroom but simply cannot do it in time! Cleaning up will become a part of the daily routine so make sure that you have an endless supply of rubber gloves, plastic bags and toilet paper.

Meals

Many older people may forget that the next thing to do is put the spoon into their mouths. Even if they do not have conditions such as Dementia, they may simply doze off to sleep while eating.

It is a good idea to keep meals small but as nutritious as you can. That being said, if your 100-year old lady enjoys chocolate pudding and will happily eat her way through these, then why not let her have them! At her age she should be having things that she likes as she will be more inclined to eat them. Remember that what is important is to get calories into the body instead of restricting her diet in any way.

Sleep habits

Your older client may sleep for longer, she may also sleep a lot during the day. This is a normal thing. You will find that she gets tired very easily so try to keep activities to one thing per day. A bath or shower followed by a trip to the hairdresser will leave you with an exhausted lady who may notw ant to eat because she is so tired.

To sum up

If you do agree to go to a placement where your client is very old, you should expect the placement to be a little quieter and with less regular conversation, unless there are other people who come to help you. If silence and lack of conversation does not appeal to you, then ask your agency for a placement with a younger client.

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