Center for Changing Systems

Two generations ago, grandparents lived with their children and grandchildren. The little ones would see the full range and scope of their lives play out in front of their eyes and learn to respect old age. Today however, many children do not live with their grandparents, nor do they see all the little things that make up their lives with the result that they do not know how to treat their grandparents. They often end up making rude comments, or even unwittingly being cruel simply because they do not understand. Here’s how to make that better:

They are NOT Children

Thanks to their age and frailty, most old people find it difficult to manage anything on their own resulting in behaviour that is almost infantile. They will soil their beds, they will drop things and they will dribble their food. Here’s where it is different: they are not children. In fact, they are fully grown, experienced adults trapped in bodies that increasingly don’t work the way they want it to. However, many grandkids will laugh or complain about their grandparents’ antics, often to their face, because they do not understand that the same thing will happen to them someday.

They Require Special Care

No matter how strong their minds are, they will require special care. This means having to sacrifice a certain number of hours every day from your schedule. It means being patient with them while they take an age in the toilet. It means waiting for them to collect their thoughts before speaking. It means arranging for respite care Kew if you are going on holiday and you cannot take them with you. Even the physical layout of your house might have to change. Houses with old people often have safety railings on walls and rubber mats on the floors where it can be particularly slippery. These are things you will need to adjust to.

Knowing Your Limits

Plenty of young ones treat the elderly as if they are stupid because they don’t ‘get it.’ Old people love living in their memories and frequently refuse to be a part of the brave new world. For grandkids who try to teach them, it can end in disaster. So it is about knowing your limits and knowing when to let go. Some of your grandparents might need the kind of specialized care that only a full-time nurse can provide and then it’s time to think of aged care facilities. If that involves a home, then it’s up to family and friends to keep up a steady stream of visitors to stimulate conversation and brain activity.

Thus, children can learn a lot from being around their grandparents but mostly they learn respect. This can take the form of helping them physically or being kind and patient with them. Either way, the elderly are not a group to be tossed away lightly.

What is difficult behaviour in differently abled people? What most people do not understand is that difficult behaviour in special needs persons does not stem from them doing it on purpose to aggravate you. It stems from their condition which controls certain parts of their body chemistry, physical mechanisms and mental ones as well. They comprehend and react to things differently than we do, but this does not make them any inferior to a regular person. It just makes them different. If we as regular adults believe that sometimes life is challenging, would it not be more so for these individuals in a world where they are vastly stereotyped and singled out? Here are some great tips on how to manage difficult behaviour from differently abled individuals. 

Patience never goes unrewarded

The key to handling any special needs individual is patience. If you are looking after them at home, this is true even more. These individuals may not react to what you say to them or the questions that you ask immediately. They also might appear like they are willfully ignoring you, but they are not. Their brain grasps things differently, sometimes if you tend to use big and complicated words, they will not respond not out of anger or frustration but simply because they do not understand how to. Their actions may be delayed too and more often than not, they will react in a way which is opposite to what you ask them to do. If you consult any entity that provides disability services Coburg, they will tell you to remain patient. If you were to get upset and raise your voice at the individual perhaps, they would react even more negatively and retreat.

Be clear and justify them

The biggest part of coming to terms with difficult behaviour is justifying the behaviour even if it has no basis. Sometimes, you have to put yourself in their shoes and tell them that it is alright to feel a certain way and also be vocal about the fact that you completely understand what they feel. Do this, without putting them down and showing them pity. Instead show them respect and be very clear in what you say. For example, if a person with a mental impairment is experiencing paranoia, speak to them and calm them down by telling them you understand and that there is nothing to worry about because they are safe and alright. Give it a bit of time, and they will calm down. If you feel you need professional help approach reputed respite care services without delay. Always give them the benefit of the doubt and let them work things out at their own pace instead of rushing it.

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ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder), commonly known to you as Autism is a condition that can be found in certain people due to a neurological disorder that directly affects their communication and cognitive functions. If you come across any such patients it is important that you are aware on how to react and treat them as they are very sensitive to sounds and actions. Therefore, being patient and kind in their midst is the most important factor that you need to keep in mind. Further, let us look at what this condition really is, how to diagnose it and how to treat and care for them.

What is it?

How can we define this condition of ASD? As previously mentioned, the condition of autism tends to cause impairments in the communication abilities of an individual due to a complexity that arises due to neurological disorders. You must be aware that when handling individuals that have been affected with this condition, it is important to have patience in  order to deal with their sudden aggressive behaviour. In addition to that, they will not like change and will perform stereotyped actions like hand flapping.

What causes this condition?

When you walk into a adult disability services Northern Suburbs home, you might come across these types of children and even adults. Have you ever wondered how they have become victims of ASD? Well, there is no certain explanation as to how this condition has come to be. Studies conducted by scientists have been able to find out that it is caused by genetics. However, they are unsure as to whether environmental factors too have any effect on this case.

How to diagnose

It is not that difficult to notice one’s ASD condition at a tender age. Even at a few months of six to eighteen, you will be able to notice it through their behaviour. For instance, if they find difficulty in speaking, do not respond to their names, not developing accordingly or playing with toys in an unusual manner are considered to be early signs of this condition. Therefore, getting respite care at Carinya Society in such cases is vital.

Treatments

The best treatment that you can give a child diagnosed with ASD is much attention full of love. As this condition requires them to seek for protection and shelter, make sure that they are given just that. Keep in mind that they are special too. In addition to that, you could also take them to physical therapy to improve their life styles and make their lives too, ones they can cherish.