Caring for Your Senior from a Distance

Life and careers can take people all over the country and the world. Sometimes this means that they are separated from those they love and must care for an aging parent from afar. Although this is not the ideal situation, there are ways to make it work. Sometimes a parent may not want to leave their home to move closer to family, or their health may decline unexpectedly, requiring additional care. There are countless reasons why long-distance care of a senior may occur, but with proper planning, you can still ensure that their needs are being met.

Arrange for In-Home Care

If your senior is still fairly independent but could use some supervision and assistance, in-home care can be a beneficial option. This arranges for a caregiver to go to your loved one’s home and assist with personal care, activities of daily living, general home upkeep, outings, organization, and many other things. They also offer companionship and conversation while keeping an eye on your loved one. This can alleviate some of the stress of worrying about their health, safety, and well-being when you cannot be there. You can also ask friends or neighbors to periodically check in with your senior.

Keep in Touch

Your loved one is always just a phone call away, so set a schedule for when you will call, or how often you will call. This not only gives your aging parent something to look forward to, but also does the same for you. Another option is to use Skype, ooVoo, or another online chat program. Sending letters and pictures is another way to connect and send small mementos about your life so your loved one can feel more up to date. By arranging for regular communication, you can also have a better reference to identify when something may require more attention or seems out of the ordinary.

Organize Necessary Documents and Services

Make sure that you have copies of your parent’s living will, medical information, financial information, or other data. Get permission for doctors to disclose important health information over the phone. If you are worried about managing your loved one’s finances, hire a financial planner or accountant to handle these responsibilities and oversee your parent’s finances. Being proactive can ensure that you have access to the information you need when you need it and the power to make important decisions.

Plan with Family

Talk to family about taking turns visiting your loved one. This can reduce the burden on any one person and allow everyone to spend quality time with your senior. Make sure to update each other and relay any questions or concerns so that they can be properly addressed. With proper planning and effort, caring for your senior from a distance can be a viable option that still ensures they are safe and well cared for.

Using In-Home Care to Care for Patients with Dementia

When a family member is diagnosed with dementia, this can be a difficult time for families. This progressive condition affects the person’s mental capabilities including memory, judgment, and reasoning. It can also impact their personality and behavior. Many patients are able to maintain some level of independence as the condition progresses; however, they may need some assistance.

In-home care can be a beneficial option when assisted living or nursing homes are not yet appropriate placements. Having a caregiver come to the patient’s home allows them to remain in a familiar environment and go about their daily routine. The caregiver provides them with any support or assistance they may need in completing tasks and is a positive source of companionship. 

Evaluate your loved one’s needs. Patients with dementia progress at different rates. Determine how much and what kinds of assistance your loved one needs. They may still be able to do many things on their own but need supervision to ensure their safety and well-being. The home care provider can help you to make these decisions and create a plan of care that works for your situation. As your family member needs more help, the level care of may be changed accordingly.

Educate in-home staff about your family member. Talk to the in-home caregiver about the person with dementia’s background and life. Oftentimes patients have clearer memories of their past than they do of more recent events. Let the caregiver know about things the person is proud of and has accomplished in their life. This can provide talking points and encourage more engaging discussions. Also let them know about the person’s routine and activities that they enjoy. Maintaining familiarity and routine can help to ease transitions and allow the person to feel more confident in their abilities.

Know what services are available. In-home care can cover a wide range of services including assistance and supervision with cooking, cleaning, personal care, laundry, exercise, shopping, visiting, and other activities of daily living.  This can alleviate some of the stress on families to make sure that someone is available to tend to these needs. It also allows the patient to remain more independent and stay in their home for as long as possible while staying safer and ensuring that their daily needs are met. They also have someone to keep them company and follow up on their progress and concerns that may arise.

In-home care can be a valuable option if your loved one has dementia yet you want to help them continue living as independent and high quality of a life as possible. With different levels of care available, the caregiver can tailor their services to your loved one’s changing needs and adapt with them.

Protecting Your Parents from Financial Abuse

Dealing with finances can be a delicate situation. More seniors are continuing to live independently or with some assistance and handling their own finances. As they age, their ability to make sound decisions can be impaired by Alzheimer’s or dementia. They also become at risk for scams from individuals who may try to take advantage of their age or generosity. Protecting your parents from financial abuse becomes a concern because you want them to be able to live the best life possible and afford the care they need.

Being proactive and taking the proper steps to protect your aging parent can improve their financial security. Stay alert about any recent scams occurring. Educate yourself about how elder financial abuse happens and how to identify risks.

Hire Professional Help

Financial planners are available to help you sort through your parent’s finances and establish safeguards against scams and abuse. An attorney can draw up wills, trusts, and power of attorney documents so that your parent can designate how they want their funds handled, and you and your family can abide by their wishes. Having co-signers as power of attorney can provide additional protection because they hold each other accountable.

Monitor Bank Accounts

Frequently review bank statements for any suspicious activity. Look for large sums that are spent or transferred that you were not aware of ahead of time. Pay attention to where money is going. Oftentimes the bank has services available to monitor activity and alert you to anything out of the ordinary.

Another option is to set up a separate account for your parent to use for their daily transactions. Limit the amount of funds available so if someone should try to take advantage of them or get their account information, they do not have access to the bulk of their finances.

Discuss with the Family

Make sure that the family is all on the same page about how your parent’s finances will be handled. By designating one or two people to be in charge, this can help to reduce confusion and make oversight easier. If any service workers or technicians come to the house, make sure that they have been researched ahead of time and when possible, have someone else there to supervise. Take the time to research caregivers as well to ensure they are of high quality, trustworthy, and have your parent’s best interests in mind.

Have honest yet caring conversations with your parent about why you are looking after their finances. Let them know that it is for their own safety and protection, not because you don’t trust them or think that they can’t handle things. Allow them to retain some control with safeguards in place. Working together, you can help to protect their financial future and reduce their risk for fraud or abuse.

Bathroom Safety Tips for Seniors

Ensuring that the home is a safe place is important for seniors as they age. Family members want to feel secure in knowing that their loved one is able to move around safely and the risk for falls or other injuries is minimized. One room that can pose numerous concerns is the bathroom. However, there are many ways to help improve safety while allowing seniors to maintain some independence.

• Lay down non-skid mats. Rugs and towels can slide easily across the floor. Non-skid mats have a rubber gripping on the back that helps to keep them in place while also keeping water off of the floor. Place mats in front of the bathtub, shower, sink, or toilet. It can also be helpful to put a skid-proof shower mat inside the shower. The bathtub or shower floor can become slippery with water and soap, but a shower mat can improve stability.
• Place supplies within easy reach. Readjust where shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, towels, and other toiletries are located to reduce stretching and reaching. Having them within arm’s reach can allow seniors to better keep their balance.
• Install grab bars. If your loved one has some mobility or balance issues, consider installing grab bars near the shower and toilet. Towel racks and other fixtures are not meant to bear excess weight, but a grab bar is intended for just this purpose. The person can hold on while climbing in and out of the shower or getting on or off of the toilet, allowing them to steady themselves and reducing fall risk.
• Use a raised toilet seat. This reduces the distance between standing and sitting and can make it easier to transfer between the two positions.
• Install a transfer seat or place a shower chair in the shower or tub. A transfer seat allows your loved one to sit down and gently slide their legs over the side of the tub so that they do not have to try to step over to get in. In addition, a shower chair gives them the option of sitting so that they do not slip and fall while showering. This is beneficial for those who may have balance or mobility issues or tire easily.
• Plug in nightlights. Many seniors wake during the middle of the night to use the bathroom. Ensure that the path between their bedroom and the bathroom is well lit and that the bathroom has adequate lighting as well. Being able to see where they are going and what they are doing can reduce the risk of falling or having other injuries.

Taking the time to implement these simple fixes can improve the safety of your senior’s bathroom. It may also be necessary to provide assistance during certain activities to further ensure their safety and well-being. Periodically evaluating your loved one’s abilities can help guide additional steps for care and assistance.