Degrees of dependency in older adults: what are they like and how to deal with them?

Elderly caregivers perform a role that is both noble and challenging . The care they require can vary from case to case.

Assisting an adult solely to accompany them to a medical appointment is not the same as having to bathe them, dress them, or help them eat.

The entire range of care required by this population has had to be classified to be better understood and provided by increasingly better caregivers and medical teams. This is related to the so-called "degrees of dependency."

What we understand by dependency

As people age, they begin to require specific care to perform their activities at their best . This may increase if they have a chronic or disabling condition.

Dependency is known as the need for help or assistance to perform activities of daily living.

It is important to mention that dependency has nothing to do with age , as it arises as a consequence of the loss of autonomy, whether physical, intellectual, sensory or mixed.

In fact, defining this word is also useful at the governmental and medical levels, as it can help create public policies and health initiatives that benefit adults and their caregivers.

Types of dependency

• Economic dependency: Occurs when the adult stops working and, no longer being a provider, becomes dependent.
• Functional dependence: Refers to the physical abilities to perform activities of daily living, such as going to bed, getting up, dressing, using the bathroom, eating, or walking.
• Mental dependence: It has to do with the cognitive abilities of the person, such as solving common problems or making decisions.
• Psychological dependence: It is related to the emotional and behavioral part of the person.
• Sensory dependence: This can occur when one or more of the senses have been altered, such as sight or hearing.
• Social dependence: Occurs when adults have no one to talk to or do not spend most of their time together.
• Mixed dependency: It is a combination of the previous dependencies.

To measure it, experts rely on some of the following rapid tests:

Barthel index or scale

It is a test that measures a person's ability to perform 10 basic activities , such as eating, moving around, bathing, going up and down stairs, dressing, and controlling stool and urine.

Lawton Index or Scale

It can help detect early signs of impairment in an older person , such as using the phone, shopping, preparing meals, washing clothes, or taking public transportation.

Pfeiffer index

It measures cognitive impairment. It consists of 10 questions about general knowledge and location in time and space , ranging from "What is today's date?" to "Where are we?"

Minimental index

It is used to detect possible dementia in an older adult, through memory tests, mathematical calculations , object names, reading, writing, and even drawing.

Degrees of dependency and how to deal with them

Grade I. Moderate dependence

It occurs when the dependent person (in this case, the older adult) requires assistance to perform certain activities of daily living, although intermittently or in a limited manner.

How to cope? Get informed. It's time to continue teaching adults how to solve things for themselves, involve them in their caregiving process, allow them to make decisions, seek support from a mental health expert to help them grieve for the loss of their autonomy, and know what kind of treatment they want if their health condition worsens.

Grade II: Severe dependency

In this case, the older adult needs assistance to perform most of their daily activities, whether two or three times a day. However, they do not require the constant presence of a caregiver.

How to deal with it? Leverage the tools they still have and don't overprotect them. With the proper precautions, adults can do more than they might think. Allowing them as much independence as possible will give them security and confidence.

Grade III: Great dependency

It occurs when a dependent person needs as much help as possible to perform a large part of basic daily activities several times a day. By then, they may have already lost their mental or physical autonomy and require the complete presence of another person.

How to deal with it? It requires teamwork involving caregivers, family members, and medical staff. Those involved need to share tasks and take turns caring for the adult. The primary caregiver can train others to cover for them so that responsibilities can be balanced.

What the dependent elderly person needs

Undoubtedly, the degrees of dependency allow us to increasingly meet the needs of older adults not only from their caregivers, but also from their medical team, physical therapists, family, and society in general.

Regardless of the degree of dependency, everyone involved in the process requires full and compensatory rest . That's why it's so important for caregivers and patients to enjoy an optimal quality of life.

Below we leave you three articles that you as a caregiver might like.

1. HOW TO MANAGE ANXIETY AND HOPELESSNESS IN THE FACE OF GRIEF AND ILLNESS?
2. TIPS FOR MANAGING IRRITABILITY AS A CAREGIVER
3. KEYS FOR A CAREGIVER: WHAT TO DO WHEN A FAMILY MEMBER'S LIFE IS IN YOUR HANDS?