Home And Family

Archive for the ‘Elder Care’ Category

Holidays are times when we find ourselves rushing around and taking on a little more then we should. If you are a caregiver to an elderly family member or loved one it’s certain that you are overbooked during the holidays. Elder care during holiday times becomes a bit more complicated then we’re prepared to handle. It’s difficult to accomplish all the holiday tasks alone but with the added responsibility of elder care you may need to enlist the help of an in home elder care specialist. Elder care providers such as Visiting Angels can lend a handle during these busy times.

Elder care on a daily basis requires patience, organization and consistency. When you are not prepared or able to provide your current duties it is best to have assistance. For those who we are caregivers to do not always realize that the extra load of responsibility may be too much for us to handle at times. Those who need elder care are sometimes oblivious to the time of year or the increased responsibility that you may have. The importance is to remain consistent with the elder care duties that you are responsible for so that your schedule can return to normal as the holiday busy season passes. That makes stepping back into your non holiday routine easier and more comforting for all.

Enlisting the help of an elder care provider to fill in with simple responsibilities may be all you need. If your elder care responsibilities include meal preparation and light housekeeping but you are unable to keep up with it during the holidays, an elder care in home professional will be able to work with you to provide those services while you are unable. If it is transportation to medical appointment or medical services you are able to make these arrangements as well. Elder care providers are non medical professionals that can step in to assist you with everyday elder care chores and responsibilities. It’s easy to customize their services to your elder care needs.

Besides everyday responsibilities, you may need assistance from an in home caregiver for your holiday travel time. Elder care in home providers are able to provide care and companionship for a few hours a week, everyday care to overnight care if needed. These services should be booked well in advance to insure that you have coverage you need during holiday travel times.

Elder care responsibilities do not stop because of our busy holiday schedules. Find relief during the holidays and reach out for additional help from an in home elder care provider. The holiday will be less stressful for all.

No matter how long they might live, all people eventually die. This holds true for your parents as well. If your parents are old and you feel the time is near, caring for your aging parents should include contacting quality elder care solutions in your neighborhood.

They have the expertise to take care of all the needs related to your parents.

Caring for your aging parents should include a personal talk with your parents to cover areas such as:

1. Personal details: Knowing where to find critical information (example: your Parents Birth certificate, marriage certificate etc), falls within the ambit of caring for your aging parents.

1. Insurance details: Caring for your aging parents should include maintaining a file that contains copies of all relevant information especially insurance related documents such as Medicare numbers, personal doctor’s numbers and elder care solution numbers.

1. Financial: Your file should contain details of bank accounts, account numbers, names of nominees, details of securities, investments etc. Caring for your aging parents also means you ensure that any fund they have is not wasted after they pass away. Monies lying in these accounts can also be used to offset costs of quality elder care solution or burial services.

1. Lifestyle: Caring for your aging parents also means you take the initiative in asking your parents where they would prefer to live in the event they need constant care and attention. Quality elder care solution could also include living in a community of seniors with proper medical care and attention.

1. Funeral: Painful as it may be, caring for your aging parents means you need to broach the issue of funeral arrangements. Your parents might have already prepaid for a cemetery plot or might want to be buried in a particular spot or in a particular way. Make sure the elder care solution provider also has this information.

1. Special Friends: Your parents might have some special friends even you are unaware of. As part of your caring for your aging parents plan, talk to your parents and obtain a list of names and contact numbers. These are people you will have to contact when either parent dies. These are people who your parents would want to be present at their funeral. Make sure the elder care solution provider has this information as well.

1. Pets: Parents often live in company of a pet or two. When the time comes would your mom or dad like to give away the pet to an old friend or have it put up for adoption or cared for by the local pet care center? As part of your caring for your aging parents plan, find the answers to these questions and be prepared to take the appropriate action. Some elder care solution centers accept parents along with their pets. If your parents have opted for such an elder care solution center, make sure the professionals there are aware of your parent’s wishes.

1. Will: Have your parents made a will? As part of your caring for your aging parents plan find out if a will has been prepared, where the will is kept or who has the will. You do not want to get into a last minute search for it. If an elder care solution center in involved, they can help you with hiring a legal professional who will read and execute the will.

Are you caring for your aging parents? If so, as part of your elder care solution it is imperative to have a crisis plan ready. A crisis can come at any moment and can include things like broken ankle, hip fractures, spondilitis, strokes etc. Here are a few points to consider:

1. If you stay more than a four blocks away, as part of your caring for your aging parents plan, or your elder care solution, you might want to befriend a few neighbors who live near your parents’ house. In an emergency they can probably reach your parents much faster than you could. Besides, when the dreaded call comes, you might be out of town or even out of the country. At times such as these, it is the neighbors that are of most help and in any case, those precious few minutes might make all the difference.

1. As part of your caring for your aging parents plan, or your elder care solution, keep a few phone numbers handy. These would be phone numbers of the milk supplier, newspaper supplier, garbage disposal, utility services etc. If your parents have any pets, include a few numbers to the local pet care center. I know this plan will probably sound strange to you but at some point in time if you ever have to rush either parent to the local hospital, you will want to refer to these numbers.
2. As part of you’re caring for your aging parents plan, or your elder care solution, talk to other siblings if any. Work out a schedule as to who will check in on your parents. Such schedules are usually worked out on a day-of-the-week basis. It helps to distribute the responsibility so each sibling has equal spare time. If a crisis arises then the brother or sister or relative responsible for checking in your parents for that particular day, will be the first to attend to your parents and also ensure emergency medical care or hospitalization.
3. As part of your caring for your aging parents plan, or your elder care solution, find out if your parents have adequate medical insurance. If they do not have it, you might want to talk with your siblings on cost distribution and you need to do it before a crisis arises. Such plans should ideally be in writing and signed by all who will share the financial costs. You don’t want to have running battles during a medical crisis.
4. If you have both your parents then the most likely scenario would be that one of them has a medical crisis and requires hospitalization while the other would probably need looking after. Again, as part of your caring for your aging parents plan, or your elder care solution, work with your siblings to decide in advance who will look after the non-hospitalized parent.

Of those who are caring for aging parents, not all of us have the good fortune of living within a few blocks of our parents. Most of us either live half a town across or maybe in a different state altogether. This makes caring for aging parents and providing for elder care solution quite challenging. If we keep a few points in mind, being away would not really affect the quality of elder care solution:

1. Opt for home based quality of elder care solution: If you are caring for aging parents and are not in a position to physically check in on them, you might want to consider home based quality elder care solution. Professional wellness nurses will visit your parents as many times as required checking in on them. They will make sure your parents are in good health and report back to you.
2. Keep vital information handy: If you are caring for aging parents, it might be a good idea to keep vital information handy in your digital diary, PDA or mobile phone. This information could include the doctor’s phone numbers, phone numbers of people who live near your parents home, phone number of the case manager or social worker or company that is providing quality elder care solution to your parents and so on.
3. Keep case history at hand: If you are caring for aging parents, it might be a good idea to keep your parent’s medical history papers handy. This is especially useful if your parents are admitted to a hospital and you need to talk to the doctors. It might also be a good idea to forward a copy to the elder care solution provider. In the event of an emergency, in all likelihood, the elder care solution provider will be the first on the scene.
4. Modern Technology: As a person caring for aging parents, you might want to consider using modern day technology. From independent IP based video cameras to auto pill dispenser’s technology to timers that switch on and switch off devices automatically, modern day technology can be a great part of your elder care solution. All you need to do is familiarize your parents with the basic function of any device you install. Allow them time to adapt to it. Once they realize just how useful such devices are and begin using them, there will be less anxiety all round.
5. Maintenance: As part of your caring for aging parents, you might want to enter into a contract with a local maintenance service provider. These service providers usually send out an inspector to inspect your parent’s house and make sure everything is working as it should. These are usually monthly visits. Typically, the inspector will inspect the gas lines, heating, air conditioning, plumbing and various electrical gadgets. He can also arrange for furniture repairs and repairs to the house.