One of the most important things you can do when caring for an elderly parent is to plan in advance. It can be difficult to put together a caregiving plan for your elderly parent. However, doing so now instead of later can help eliminate issues in the future. It can be stressful when forced to make a decision on the spot when your elderly parent is sick or in the midst of an emergency. Putting a plan in place beforehand can eliminate some of the stress. It can also make your elderly parent feel included in the decision making. This can help ease the tension for everyone. Home care providers and family caregivers can learn more about what needs to be done when caring for an elderly parent.
Get Ready to Listen and Then Talk
The first step you should take is getting ready to listen and then to talk. Don’t just tell your parents what you want for them. Let them tell you what they want. This will make them feel included in the decision making plans. Prepare to listen and not just talk. This will show your elderly parents that you all are in this together.
Create a Support Team
You should create a support team. This should include home care providers, family care providers, and your elderly parent. It can also include medical professionals, friends, or other family members. In some cases, a support team often has a personal estate attorney or accountant. Of course, this depends on the situation or the particular circumstances your parents are in.
Assessing Their Needs and Resources
Although it can be easy to make decisions when your elderly parent is still healthy, it is much more difficult when they are facing an illness or injury. This is why, periodically, it might be wise to assess their needs and resources. Some of the things you and your elderly parent should take a look at regularly include the following:
- Financial resources – pensions, wages, personal investments, and other types of income
- Housing – their home situation and what type of help they need in their home
- Family resources – would they want other family members or friends to care for them (if so what type of help can be received from these people)
- Community resources – would they feel comfortable using community resources when they are feeling sick
You might also want to discuss end of life decisions. For instance, do they want to be put on life support? Discussing all of these things can help you to provide the best care for your elderly parent.
Conclusion
It is important to prepare in advance when thinking about caring for an elderly parent. It will make things a lot easier in the future. Just remember to include your parent in the decisions whenever possible.
Sources
https://www.discover.com/online-banking/banking-topics/7-resources-caring-for-elderly-parents/
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/getting-started-long-distance-caregiving
If you or an aging loved one is considering home care in Big Timber, MT, please contact the caring staff at SYNERGY HomeCare Billings today at 406-839-2390.
