Maintaining Individuality

When an older person “moves in” to a residential aged care facility, the facility becomes not only the place where they are cared for, but also their home. After living all of their adult lives as independent individuals, they sometimes have concerns that they will lose their independence, individuality and sense of self. They may worry that they will no longer be allowed to make decisions for themselves, take calculated risks, and make choices about their lives and healthcare. Frail older people in the community may also experience social and emotional isolation, as younger family members are busy raising their own families and have relatively little time to spend with them. Reliant on health professionals and others for their daily cares, it is understandably difficult to retain a sense of individuality, unless it is actively encouraged by others.

Nurses can work with frail older people in a way that promotes a sense of individuality by respecting the different needs, interests, preferences, personalities and lifestyles of their older clients. In these settings, the nurse is a visitor and the facility or community setting is the client's home. As such, the nurse must take into account the client's right to make choices and decisions. For example, older clients in residential care settings should be able to go to bed when they choose, have choices about their meals, and decide who they want to involve in healthcare decisions.

Show transcript