The Psychogerontologist in home care startups

It is clear that many nursing homes have a staff of professionals who really follow the so famous model of Person-Centered Attention, but in many of them, due to lack of resources, it is not So.

This is why it is worth emphasizing the importance of the Psychogerontologist in these new companies, because they really meet a need: that of serve the elderly who cannot afford the price of a residence. In this article we will see why the role of the Psychogerontologist is important in Home Care Startups, a type of service with great potential.

• Related article: "The 9 stages of human life"

The Person-Centered Attention Model

Normally, third and fourth age care companies have a staff of professional caregiversIn other words, nursing assistants who provide high-quality services to the elderly. In addition, given the high demand for people who require care, a high job opportunity is generated for social and health personnel.

Secondly, andl Person-Centered Care model On which these initiatives are based, it is fundamentally an approach widely defended by Spanish and French gerontologists and gerontologists, and it is also international. According to the gerontologist Teresa Martínez, it is a philosophy of care from which it is considered to people with dignity and rights, which is also understood as autonomy hint.

It is for this reason that even though the involvement of nursing assistants in these companies is so important, so is that of psychogerontologists, since person-centered care should become effective, helping aides to understand well the continuous changes that happen to older people due to to its neurodegenerative diseases, to the related neuropsychiatric symptoms and to the defense mechanisms that people develop as we age.

• Related article: "4 defense mechanisms older people use"

What is the role of the Psychogerontologist in a Startup?

First of all, Psychogerontology helps Nursing Assistants, but to know how we must first answer another question: What does a Psychogerontologist or Psychogerontologist do?

Gerontology is the science that studies aging, and just as there are Geriatric Doctors, there are Gerontologist Psychologists who study aging and promote aging active and help people to persevere and maintain their autonomy as long as possible, helping them in the progress of their line vital.

In fact, rights do not depend on age. We are all worthy of receiving social health care and even more when we are older. We also have Geriatric and Gerontological Nursing and also Nursing Assistants; In the end, it is the Auxiliaries who are in direct contact with the elderly, assuming all the problems of working with older people, often receiving little support from other professionals due to lack of resources economic.

In the same way that the Assistants give support to Nursing, a Gerontologist Psychologist supports the Assistants. For this reason, it is very important to work together, since there is still a long way to go in person-centered care in the elderly; because we have specialized care in childhood, adolescence, adulthood, but what about the third and fourth age?

In fact, Gonzalo Berzosa, 70-year-old expert Psychologist and Gerontologist, affirms that we have everything for early care, all about cognitive stimulation and including inclusive school, that pediatrics know everything about children and that we have everything until 20, until 25 and up to 30 years, but after 30 years we do not we have nothing. It is for this reason that Psychogerontologists have a great responsibility.

• You may be interested: "Geranthophobia or Gerascophobia: the fear of getting old"

What are the skills of the Psychogerontologist?

Fundamentally, the tasks that Psychogerontologists deal with are the following.

• Propose treatments for neurodegenerative diseases in the context of clinical intervention.
• Know, select and apply psychological assessment instruments in aging.
• Interpret the results of an evaluation and carry out diagnoses.
• Design intervention programs taking into account the goals, tools and appropriate methodologies in each case.
• Advise and intervene in the family environment of the elderly, both healthy and sick.
• Work with Nursing Assistants.
• Continuously investigate new methods of Intervention and new advances, as well as Geronto - Technology.
• Promote lines of research in the field of psychogerontology.

The added value in the relationship with patients

There are several advantages that Home Care Startups that have Psychogerontologists in their team can enjoy:

1. Diagnosis

The team of Nursing Assistants with more than one patient in charge they tend to develop stress, and it is very important that they know at all times the diagnosis of the elderly person they are treating.

2. Follow-up

For the above reason it is very important to keep track of the elderly person, as well as their neurodegenerative changes (in the case of neurodegenerative disease) and its changes physical.

3. Person-Centered Care

It is vitally important to work alongside nursing assistants to offer the most personalized person-centered care. possible in order to promote the autonomy of the elderly, but also to avoid the famous Burnout Effect in nursing assistants. Nursing.

• You may be interested: "Burnout: how to detect it and take action"

4. Upgrade

A Psychogerontologist is also a continuous researcher, since in general only those who are truly passionate about the profession can practice. It is evidence that to be successful it is essential to be aware of new advances to keep up with the market.

It is vitally important to know the psychopharmacological advances to be able to carry out an adequate therapeutic follow-up pharmacological but also non-pharmacological to the elderly and thus honestly offer a Person-Centered Care to promote in the best possible way the autonomy and dignity of the persons.

Complete care for the fourth and third age

In conclusion, Psychogerontologists and Psychogerontologists are professionals specialized in neurodegenerative diseases and their behavioral expression, which they embrace the disciplines that study aging: Gerontology and Graussology.

They are truly important, then, in the Home Care Service (SAD) of the new intermediary companies between Nursing Assistants and the Elderly.