5 Ideas to Make Caring for an Elderly Parent Easier

By Robert D. Liken CPC, CTS, President

August 4, 2016

Home Care in Beaver PA

After having a parent dedicate most of their life to caring for you and your siblings, you may feel honored and proud to provide the same quality of care to your now elderly parent. What you Home-Care-in-Beaver-PAprobably do not think about when accepting the caregiving role. Is how difficult the position can be. Depending on the health of your loved one, every day may present new challenges.
 
If the caregiving role becomes too difficult, many family members turn to home care providers to give their loved one the care they need. Yet, if you would like to be involved in the care of your aging parent, here are some ways to make this job easier.
 

  1. Begin the conversation. If you notice your loved one is having trouble caring for themselves, it is time to have an honest conversation with them. Share your concerns with them, as well as how you would like to help. The best time to have this discussion is when the senior is healthy enough to understand and contribute their thoughts on the topic. Once their health begins to deteriorate, it will become much more difficult to talk to them.
  2. Share the responsibilities. If you have siblings, ask them to pitch in and help. While you may be taking care of the daily tasks for your elderly parent, one sibling can handle the bills and finances and someone else can be responsible for transporting the senior to appointments. Make a list of all responsibilities and have a family meeting to determine who will do what.
  3. Create a financial plan. While your loved one is still healthy enough to have this conversation, come up with a financial plan. Find out how much the senior has in their checking and savings account, as well as how much they will be willing to pay for a senior care specialist. Before the bills begin to pile up, you need to find out how they will be paid for.
  4. Learn where money can be saved. Medical equipment and prescription costs can quickly add up. Do some research to find out how costs can be cut. For example, is there a company you can use for the medical products that is less expensive? By doing the homework, you could end up saving hundreds of dollars.
  5. Manage your stress. Some days will be more stressful than others, so it is important to know how to manage these feelings for your own health. In order to keep your stress levels low, get plenty of sleep, exercise regularly, and data healthy diet.

 

If you or an aging loved one are considering home care in Beaver, PA, please contact the friendly staff at Liken Home Care.  Call (412) 693-6820 or (855) 856-0551

 
Source:  http://carenovatemag.com/six-tips-caring-aging-elderly-loved-ones/