One of the most difficult moments in life comes when we need to take care of an elderly person. Though we often don’t speak of it, many of us are already dreading the day we have to face this issue with our loved ones. In particular, going through this process with a parent is very painful.
What are your options when it comes to taking care of an elderly person? There’s no universal right answer. One person may be better off staying at home, or with family.
‘The talk’
There are several reasons you need to talk with the person and several ways to approach that talk.
Are you worried about their health based on your observations? You can read more details about health assessments online. Discuss what you've observed and ask them what they think is going on. If they acknowledge the situation, then don’t instantly suggest action. Ask them what they think would be a good solution. If they don’t see that any problem is at hand, you should use recent examples to support your case.
Another reason to have this talk is to find out what their plans are. You also need to see how prepared they are. Legal and financial plans – or a lack thereof – need to be exposed. For instance, what is their power of attorney situation? Do they have a durable power of attorney and an up-to-date will? If there are any legal documents around, you need to find them as soon as possible. You don’t want to be left having to find them by yourself.
Your options
If late-life care is the right choice, then there are three ways to go about it. If your loved one is critically ill, then a hospice might be the best option for all of you. Some people have their parent/s move in with them, so they can more reliably take care of them. Others will consider home care; that is, having a professional come to the elderly person’s house to help with various things. There are also specialized care centers (popularly known as nursing homes) to consider.
Nursing homes have a bad reputation among many people. They can be seen as expensive or emotionally cold solutions to the problem. With the expenses in mind, you should check their health insurance. It may cover elderly care, either at home or at a specialized center. With their personal feelings in mind, it’s important to choose a facility that is both comfortable and close to visitors.
Taking an elderly family member into your home can be great, as long as it’s a comfortable place to be. You get to spend more time with them, as do any younger members of the family in the same house. But it may create more stress for you. Be sure you have somewhere in your home you can take breaks from the extended family time that will result.
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Hiring a home care aide through the classifieds or word of mouth is usually the least expensive option. But you should know that it might create unexpected liabilities for your family, which legally becomes the employer.
The number one benefit of home health care is that it allows patients to receive personal care in the privacy and comfort of their own homes. For aging and homebound individuals, in-home care facilitates them in remaining as functional and independent as possible, providing a much higher sense of security and dignity.
Some family caregivers consider hiring an individual directly to provide the care, as opposed to hiring someone through a home-care agency.
If there’s a staff member who isn’t doing his or her job properly, an administrator needs to know. And if the issue is a bad attitude, and not just a need for more specific training, perhaps it’s time for that aide to find another job.
We all know that elders are pretty much deteriorating, so it means we automatically give them extra care.
I don’t let them work alone specially when they are gardening. They really struggle when its kinda heavy.
My grandmother hasn’t been too well lately. She keeps insisting that she is fine and doesn’t need help. It is good to know that we do need to talk to her about getting some help. It might be smart for us to involve her in picking an aide to come to help her out.
That’s brilliant! It’s good to hear about these cases too
Having your loved ones in our homes during their golden years is the best option, as they will not only get quality care but immense emotional support, which will make them more comfortable and stress free. Hiring a professional to care for them, while you are out for work, could be a good option.