According to the Royal Spanish Academy, the gerontology It is the «science that deals with old age and the phenomena that characterize it.» Geriatric care workers are professionals who work daily with elderly people, providing them with appropriate social and health care.
He geriatric nurse, geriatric assistant either gerontologist The elderly care worker is responsible for caring for elderly people, regardless of their health status or abilities. The role of the geriatric caregiver is essential and is not limited to being a mere companion: these professionals can become the arms and legs of the people they care for.
In a society as aging as the Spanish one, it is essential to have professionals capable of ensuring the well-being of our elderly. Although it has not yet achieved the recognition it deserves, gerontology has become a highly sought after field And it is not surprising: more than 7 million Spanish citizens are elderly, which represents 17% of the total population.
Geriatric care workers are different from nursing assistants in that the former care for the elderly, while the latter's work concerns people of all ages.
Functions of geriatric nurses
The work carried out by geriatric care workers is a priority. They follow a 24-hour functional plan of assistance to care for and look after the elderly, which depends on the situation of each elderly person and the help they need. Some are completely dependent, but others can perform some tasks on their own.. Their tasks include:
- Personal hygiene. Personal and intimate hygiene for the elderly. Shower, oral hygiene, diaper changing, shaving…
- Cleaning. Make beds, collect dirty clothes and take them to the laundry, clean rooms and help with their maintenance.
- Feeding. Feeding those residents who cannot do it themselves and serving food to those who can. Food is a key point in the tasks of geriatric care workers, as they must take special care. With age, many people develop special needs related to food intake.
- Medication. Monitoring and giving patients medication and ensuring that they take it properly. Properly managing each patient's medication is essential to their well-being.
- Basic careGetting them up every morning and putting them to bed every night, stimulating their movements and helping them stay active are just some of the tasks that geriatric nurses perform. This task requires prior preparation to ensure the well-being of their bones and muscles.
- Entertain, motivate, promote active living.
- Help with daily activities of people who require assistance in their homes. Ensure their integration into social life and personal guidance.
- Physical accompaniment. Be with them in their activities, games, outings and walks. If they can walk, accompaniment and support is enough.
- Emotional support. Bárbara Basallote, director of services and psychologist at the Cruz Roja nursing home in San Fernando, Cádiz, says that «in the performance of their duties, dialogue is possible between them, giving way to affection, company and empathy, fundamental aspects for the residents, who value and appreciate them.»
Gerontologists must be discreet with the privacy of each elderly person and their physical or mental problems. They must act in collaboration with other professionals and report any incident that may affect the patient's health.
What to study to become a geriatric nurse?
To become a geriatric assistant, you can choose to follow several professional paths. The options range from intermediate degrees, such as Care for People in Situations of Dependency, to private courses.
In any of these modalities you will acquire knowledge of nutrition and dietetics, health, first aid, psychology and physiology, among others. Once you have completed them, you will be able to assist the elderly, look after their health and help them in their daily lives.
However, it is not just academic learning that is important. Nursing assistants must be empathetic and able to listen. Equally important are patience and the ability to work in a team, which are essential for being a nursing home worker.
Employment options for geriatric nurses
You will be able to work in nursing homes, retirement homes, day centres, retirement centres, hospitals or medical centres, and at home. As a geriatric nurse you will be able to perform the following positions:
- Nursing home assistant.
- Caregiver for dependent people in residences.
- Home care for dependent people who live at home.
- Assistant in assistance centers.
How much does a geriatric assistant earn?
The salary of geriatric care workers varies depending on factors such as the city, the company they work for and the conditions of the job.
The average salary is about 1000 euros per month.However, there are cities such as Bilbao where the figure is around 1300 euros. In others, such as Madrid, the average salary is slightly lower. According to the salary tables of the Dependency Agreement of the year 2019 The base salary of a geriatric assistant in a nursing home is €997 per month, exactly the same as a cook and a driver in the same field.
The base salary should be added to seniority, availability, overtime, night shifts and holidays.
However, salary is not the only factor you should consider before starting your career as a geriatric assistant. Geriatric nurses are faced with the death of their patients on a more or less regular basis.
Although all geriatric nurses are aware that they are working with people who are in the final stages of their lives, the death of a patient can be an emotional burden that is difficult to overcome. If you are struggling with grief over the death of a loved one, Our psychologists can help you to overcome the grief and move on.