About the SeniorAdvisor.com 2014 In-Home Innovation Scholarship: We started the scholarship program to bring awareness of the unique benefits and challenges of in-home caregiving for seniors to younger generations. The questions posed by the scholarship encouraged our nation’s future caregivers to present solutions for improving home care in the United States. College-aged students were required to answer one of the three essay topics below and provide a short bio as part of their scholarship application. Read the winning essays here.

How can your major of study improve the lives of seniors receiving in-home care services?

Essay response by Kendall Kinler

When a senior citizen begins to look into registering for in-home healthcare services; nurses are one of the first aspects that come to mind. My major in nursing can provide the resources and qualifications needed to successfully improve the lives of a senior citizen receiving some form of an in-home care service by relieving stress, offering convenience, and promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Most importantly, a major in nursing promotes convenience for the senior enrolled in in-home care services. Nurses can eliminate burdens such as transportation and other inconveniences. The patient’s vitals and tests can be observed in a place where they are comfortable instead of at a hospital where stress can factor into the results of their tests and vitals. The patient also does not have to worry about scheduling an appointment because their personal nurse is available to assess their needs and perform regular check-ups whenever it is convenient for the senior.

Furthermore, an in-home nurse can promote one on one attention for the senior citizen. While enrolled in hospital check-ups, this patient is just one of many names on a list. However, with a personal nurse the senior receives his or her undivided attention. The nurse will not be distracted or preoccupied with other patients’ needs and will be able to fully focus on the one senior’s needs. The nurse can effectively monitor the senior’s stats while also insuring the senior is practicing habits that promote a healthy lifestyle. When in this fragile state in life, a senior citizen should be continually participating in healthy habits, and the personal nurse can enforce them if they are in constant contact, such as in an in-home service care program.

Also, a personal nurse can build a relationship with the senior, influencing not only his or her physical health but also his or her emotional health. Since the senior and nurse are in constant contact with each other, a close relationship develops. This relationship allows the senior to be more comfortable about opening up about symptoms or discomforts they would not feel comfortable sharing in a different environment with an impersonal doctor or nurse. It is extremely important that at this crucial point in his or her life, the senior can effectively communicate their state of comfort and health. The congenial relationship developed between the senior and the nurse within an in-home care service allows for the senior to be more open-minded about suggestions concerning health and practices from the nurse. A close relationship between the care-giver and the care-receiver is crucial to ensuring the health of the senior is at its prime.

Nursing is a primary component of in-home care services for senior citizens. Nurses can effectively assess each of the senior citizen’s needs such as, enforcing healthy lifestyle and constantly observing vitals to insure there are no issues, and also removing stress-inducing factors such as transportation and scheduling appointments. Nursing majors are one of the, if not the important components of in-home care service and improving the lifestyle of seniors receiving those particular care services.

About Kendall

Kendall wants to help others in her life and career.