Click for hassle free home health care

by July 12, 2011 Health

Population of the elderly is set to increase by 17% by 2025. What are the best ways to address their health issues?

One who always serves and respects elderly is blessed with four things : Long Life, Wisdom, Fame and Power"

Manusmriti Chapter 2:121

The advances in healthcare means that individuals live longer. The rising percentage of elderly population, however has its own challenges. Elderly population is projected to rise from 8% to 25% by 2025. Amongst those older than 60 years, 10% are bedridden and 10% are hospitalised at any given time. Where as among those above 70, more than 50% suffer from one or more chronic conditions. (Source: Ingle & Nath , Iindian Journal of Community Medicine, Oct 2008)

60th National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) Round reports that in urban areas 77 out every 1000 elderly are bed ridden and have impaired mobility in elderly. This number rises to 84 in rural areas. The common ailments includes obesity and lifestyle diseases, infections, cancers, heart diseases, impaired hearing, impaired vision, dementia , Alzheimer’s and so on.

The elderly, if staying alone, face many challenges when it comes to health care. They need someone to escort them to medical facility. Repeated visits, and waiting time for reviews , diagnostics, dressings and injections become more difficult. Risk of cross infection with drug resistant organisms while visiting hospitals, may have fatal outcomes.

Professional health care at home could be an answer to this. Home healthcare is also solution for working professionals with very little time for travel to hospitals and waiting.

Krishna Prasad Nadig, CEO, Plus at home lifecare, Bangalore, explains that they have been providing nursing care through more than 15000 nursing visits at patient’s homes. Large number of them are elderly. The services provided are post surgery care, wound management, care of bed ridden, assisting in activities of daily living, injections and medications, and prevention and management of bed sores.

They also have an innovative concept of virtual round by treating doctors, wherein the doctors can follow up with their patients at home through 3G, getting feedback from nurses , who also administer treatment. They even help new mothers with lactation counselling, breast feeding techniques, baby bath, burping, dos & don’ts. These nurses don role of mothers and mothers-in-law.⊕

Sections:

About Mukul Saxena

Col (Retd) Dr Mukul Saxena has over 30 years of cross-functional expertise in healthcare, both in public and private sectors.
Read more by Mukul Saxena

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Similar Story

Chennai braces for extreme heat, prepares measures to combat rising temperatures

by May 8, 2025 Health
In a video interview, DPH Director Dr TS Selvavinayagam advises citizens to report heat-related illnesses at the Integrated Health Information Platform.

Chennai recorded the highest temperature of 42.7 degrees Celsius on May 17 last year, marking the hottest day of summer so far. According to a study by Heat Watch, titled Struck by Heat: A News Analysis of Heat Stroke Deaths in India in 2024, 733 deaths due to heatstroke were reported across 17 states in India between March and June. This year, the sweltering conditions have returned early. The India Meteorological Department has issued a forecast and heatwave warning, stating that maximum temperatures will likely remain above normal by 1 to 3 degrees Celsius across many parts of coastal Tamil…

Continue reading

Similar Story

பாதுகாப்பற்ற தண்ணீர், பாதுகாப்பற்ற வாழ்க்கை: சென்னையில் அதிகரித்து வரும் நீர்வழி நோய்கள்

by April 9, 2025 Health
Are you having frequent fevers, abdominal cramps, dehydration or diarrhoea? Well, it could be because of the water you drink

வண்ணாரப்பேட்டையைச் சேர்ந்த 24 வயதான தரிஷினி, தான் தினமும் குடிக்கும் தண்ணீர் தனது உடல்நலத்தை இவ்வளவு மோசமாக பாதிக்கும் என்று ஒருபோதும் எதிர்பார்க்கவில்லை. திருநெல்வேலியைச் சேர்ந்த தரிஷினி கடந்த இரண்டு வருடங்களாக சென்னையில் தனியாக வசித்து வருகிறார். ஒரு நாள் மாலை, வேலையிலிருந்து வீடு திரும்பிய பிறகு, அவருக்கு கடுமையான வயிற்று வலி ஏற்பட்டது. மதிய உணவாக சாப்பிட்ட காரமான உணவு காரணமாக இருக்கலாம் என்று கருதி, அவர் மருந்தகங்களில் கிடைக்கும் சில மருந்துகளை எடுத்துக்கொண்டு படுக்கைக்குச் சென்றார். இருப்பினும், மறுநாள் அவரது அறிகுறிகள் மோசமடைந்தன. மேலும் அவருக்கு அதிக காய்ச்சல் ஏற்பட்டது. அவர் மருத்துவரின் அறிவுரைகளின்றி தானாக மருந்து எடுத்துக்கொண்டு இருந்தார், ஆனால் நிலைமை மோசமாகிவிட்டது. "அதிர்ஷ்டவசமாக, என்னைப் பார்க்க வந்த என் தோழி, நான் உடல்நிலை சரியில்லாமல் இருப்பதைக் கவனித்து அருகிலுள்ள மருத்துவமனைக்கு அழைத்துச் சென்றார். அங்குள்ள மருத்துவர்கள் நான் கடுமையாக நீரிழப்புடன் (severe dehydration) இருப்பதாகவும், என்…

Continue reading