Senior citizens don’t get enough help: study

People who are ageing usually rely on other people and devices such as canes, raised toilet or shower seat to get through the study.When a recent study documented how older adults adapt to their changing physical abilities, they found that a substantial number didn’t get enough assistance. Nearly 60% of seniors were not able to access the necessary aids and were seriously compromised mobility reported staying inside their homes or apartments instead of getting out of the house.25 % said they remained in bed and 20% went without getting dressed. Of those who required assistance with toileting issues, 27.9 percent had an accident or soiled themselves.The study was carried out by researchers from Johns Hopkins University and focused on how older adults respond to changes in physical function - a little-studied and poorly understood topic. It showed how about one-third of older adults who live in the community - nearly 13 million seniors - have a substantial need for assistance with daily activities such as bathing, eating, getting dressed, using the toilet, transferring in and out of bed or moving around their homes; about one-third have relatively few needs; and another third get along well on their own with no notable difficulty.But personal care isn't all that's needed to help older adults remain at home when strength, flexibility, muscle coordination, and other physical functions begin to deteriorate. Devices and home modifications can also help people adjust."What we haven't known before is the extent of adjustments that older adults make to manage daily activities," said Judith Kasper, a co-author of the study and professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.The research team thinks that while this study has shed light on what kind of help in missing from senior citizen’s day to day life, we can work on making more affordable devices and help to make the situation better.Stay tuned for more updates.