What help is there for the elderly?

As a result of age or certain diseases, older people can go from being totally autonomous to being considered dependent. A situation in which, in addition to the dependent himself, his family will also need help.

In this context, there are numerous services and resources that seek to improve your quality of life, as well as that of your environment, offering support for day-to-day life. If you want to know what help there are for older people, in this article we discover them.

Help for dependency

The increase in life expectancy and the aging of the population have led in recent years to deepen the needs of the elderly.

One of the laws that seeks to protect and cover these needs is the Dependency Law, which records what aid is available for dependent elderly people, degrees of dependency and the procedures to be carried out to access the different services and benefits aimed at improving the quality of life and care of dependents.

Degrees of dependency

The law considers as dependent persons those who for different reasons specific to “age, illness or disability, and linked to the lack or loss of physical, mental, intellectual or sensory autonomy, require the attention of another or others. people or important aids to carry out basic activities of daily life”.

However, within this state there are different degrees of dependency:

• Grade 1 or moderate dependence: Those cases in which the person requires help once a day to perform basic daily activities.
• Grade 2 or severe dependence: When the dependent person needs help several times a day to carry out daily tasks, but does not require permanent attention.
• Grade 3 or great dependence: People who require continuous help to do routine activities and require generalized attention.

Requirements

In order to access dependency assistance, there are a series of requirements to access the assistance available for dependent elderly people. They are as follows:

• Have any of the degrees of dependency described above
• Be Australian and have lived in Australian territory during the five years prior to applying for dependency
• The situation of those people who do not have Australian nationality will be governed based on the provisions of Organic Law 4/2000, in international treaties and agreements agreed with the country of origin.

How to apply

The procedures to request this help can be initiated by the dependent himself, by his relatives and even by a public institution. To do this, just go to the municipal Social Services or to a Primary Care Center.

Once the form has been completed and the necessary documentation has been provided, as well as a medical report, the social workers will assess the situation and begin the process to personalize the assistance available for the elderly in each specific case.

What services can a dependent elderly person receive?

Once the assessment of the dependent person's situation has been carried out, the social services, together with the elderly person and their family members, will determine their needs and based on this they will develop a personalized care plan.

This program will include those benefits or services that best suit your needs. But what are they? What helps are there for older people?

Prevention

Leading an active life and a balanced diet are two basic questions to avoid some of the most common diseases and pathologies in the elderly. Also for dependent people, promoting a healthy life can serve to slow down or avoid certain consequences related to their condition.

Connect ability service

The Connect ability has become in recent years a fundamental solution for the care of elderly and / or dependents and enabling retention in the usual environment of the person, besides favoring their autonomy.

A service that consists of a fixed terminal and an emergency button that, just by pressing it, allows you to speak directly with a professional Attention Center that will evaluate and attend to the problem by notifying emergency services and family members.

One of the great advantages is that it adapts to all types of profiles, both dependent and not, with a wide range of options guaranteeing security and tranquility 24 hours a day.

Home help

This type of service is aimed at offering help to the dependent person for the daily performance of domestic activities (such as making food or washing clothes) or personal care. Home help can be continuous, with an intern, or limited to a few hours a day.

Day and night center

This type of organization offers care to dependent people, during the day or at night, with the aim of serving as support for family members. This type of center also seeks to maintain the autonomy of the elderly.

Residential care

This type of center is designed for those with a higher degree of dependency. It offers accommodation and comprehensive care, as well as access to common areas where coexistence with other seniors is facilitated.

Dental prosthetic aids

Most older people need dental prostheses, a high expense that is sometimes difficult to cope with. For this, the Dependency Law contemplates a provision for the acquisition, repair or renewal of these.

Travel grants

Traveling allows us to discover new places and cultures, enjoy its landscapes and gastronomy, and ultimately have a good time. Subsidized trips for the elderly are intended not only to encourage the elderly to enjoy themselves but also to promote active aging.

Economic benefits

When caring for dependent elderly people, many obstacles can arise: suitability of caregivers or facilities, availability, degree of dependency, vacancies ... A long list of setbacks that are often unified in one main factor: money.

In short, an economic outlay that many families cannot afford. But what financial aid is there for the elderly? We explain them below:

• Linked to a service: In those cases, in which a public service cannot be provided, the dependent person will receive aid to contribute to the financing of this privately.
• Provision for care in the family environment: When the caregiver is a person from the personal environment, aid will be provided to contribute to the expenses associated with the care.
• Provision of personal assistance: This type of assistance is intended to promote the autonomy of the dependent person by offering an economic benefit to help finance personal assistance that favors development.