Millions of Americans take care of a family member with a serious health condition. Check below how you can be an effective caregiver while also taking care of your loved one.
What is Long Term Care.
If you live an hour or more away from a person who needs care, you are a long-distance caregiver.
This kind of care can take be 1. helping with money management 2. Arranging for in-home care to assist the loved one.
Long-distance caregivers take on different roles.
You may:
• Help with finances, money management, or bill paying
• Arrange for in-home care—hire professional caregivers or home health or nursing aides and help get needed durable medical equipment
• Provide emotional support and occasional respite care for a primary caregiver, the person who takes on most of the everyday care giving responsibilities
• Serve as an information coordinator—research health problems or medicines, insurance benefits and claims
• Evaluate the house and surroundings and make sure it’s safe for the older person’s needs
Getting Aware when aging parent needs help.
When caring for an aging parent or relative from afar, it can be hard to know when your help is needed. Sometimes, your parent will ask for help. Or, the sudden start of a severe illness will make it clear that assistance is needed. But, when you live far away, some extensive work might be necessary to uncover possible signs that support or help is needed.
It may be difficult to notice differences in behavior when you don’t live close to a family member. A family member may withdraw from activities, forget to take medication, or stop taking care of themselves or their home. These signs may seem small, but they are crucial for an aging parent or relative’s safety and well-being. With the person’s permission, you could contact people who see the person regularly—neighbors, friends, doctors, or local relatives, for example—and ask them to call you with any concerns. You might also ask if you can check in with them periodically. Look for safety issues and at the overall condition of the home, and try to determine the older person’s mood and general health status. Sometimes people confuse depression in older people with normal aging. A depressed older person might brighten up for a phone call or short visit, but it is harder to hide serious mood problems during an extended visit.
Having to make important healthcare decisions for an aging parent can be hard on both family members and caregivers but can be achieved.
CINTAA home care shares useful information regarding healthcare on weekly basis. To keep yourself updated with many other health tips, stay with us. We provide certified caregivers for seniors at home. If you need any help regarding eldercare, please feel free to call us today at 561-963-1915.
