If there is one thing that is heard repeated often in the senior care industry it is that the process of finding help for a struggling parent is way too complicated. It shouldn’t be this way, but for many people it really is. This happens for a number of reasons, usually because of confusion and difficulties with insurance of some sort. However, just because certain parts of the senior care process can be tough to navigate doesn’t mean that everything is. Finding a good caregiver for your mom or dad can be very simple when you follow a few simple rules. Helping you to simplify senior care will make a world of difference when it’s time to find just the right care system for your elderly parent.
Rule #1: Work with a professional service.
Working with a professional caregiver service, and not an individual or a locator agency, can be a big first step toward simplifying things. Professionals in these businesses have experience, they know how to work with the insurance companies (and not against them), and they will have the recommendations of what you can do to help make things even easier for your family as a whole.
Rule #2: Keep your family’s interests first.
Inevitably, something will come up when you are helping your parent where you are told, “Oh, we can’t do that.” Maybe the person or the company you are dealing with truly can’t do that, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t need it done. There are limitations on what a company can do, and if what you need done isn’t possible through them, then maybe it’s time to find someone that can help. For example, some in-home care companies do not provide transportation to doctors’ appointments.If you need in-home care for a loved one, but won’t be able to provide transportation to these, you should look for a company that will help you here. Even if this ends up costing you a few extra dollars a month in costs, the convenience is well worth it. There are many other little examples like this that you should be focusing on. Remember, when it comes to the care of your loved ones, no detail is too small or unimportant.
Rule #3: Minimize stress.
This could technically go along with Rule #2, but it is worthy of its own rule just because it’s so important. There is so much stress in each of our lives, and creating more when you don’t need to shouldn’t ever happen. Even with senior care, there is a lot of stress, but there are things you can do to minimize it. For starters, don’t move your loved one around if you don’t need to. If they can stay in their home and they want to, do all you can to keep them there. Needless moves create physical and emotional stress, and it can compound existing health problems. Sometimes a move is needed, but when it’s not a must, try to avoid it. This is why things like in-home care exist, after all, so use them if they will help.
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