Before you hire any sort of senior care service, there are a few things that you should do. Here, we’ve compiled our top five things that must be done before you finalize any sort of care for an older loved one or relative.
Budget: This isn’t something that people want to ever talk about, but that’s why we put it number one on the list. You need to come up with a budget and a way to pay for care. Hopefully your mom or dad or whoever is receiving care has more than enough money set aside for their care, or some sort of long term care insurance policy in place to help offset the expenses that will arise. If not, now is the time to figure it out–before you even think that care is necessary. Come up with some numbers of what is affordable, and then begin looking for the appropriate caregivers that fit within your budget. Remember, expensive caregivers do not necessarily equal high quality caregivers.
Needs and Responsibilities: What are your older loved one’s bare minimum needs? Do they need help bathing, getting around the house, or preparing meals? Make sure that you know exactly what needs to be covered. Speak to a medical professional if you have any confusion about this area of senior care.
Tasks: What exactly will you be having the in-home care professional doing? Before you bring them into your home, make a list of the things that you would like to see them do for your parent. They might have other things that they think need to be done, too, but it’s important that you start with the things that you know need to be done to keep your mom or dad as happy and as healthy as they can be. If the caregiver has other insight, welcome that. They are the professional, after all, and they know what works and what doesn’t.
Transportation: Your parent has doctors appointments once in a while. They probably would like to go to the grocery store to pick out their food, go to church group, or run other errands, too. Making sure that you have addressed the need for transportation before you finalize a caregiver. Not all professional care services will provide rides, so when you begin looking, bring this question up early. If this is a desire, it pays to know ahead of time what you’re getting rather than be unpleasantly surprised after it’s too late.
Accept It: Everyone gets older, and today, more than 50 percent of senior citizens will need long term care of some sort within their lifetimes. Nobody wants to see that happen to someone that they love, but it does. You need to accept that your parent is getting older and that they need assistance, and you need to also accept the fact that you cannot provide all of that care and support on your own. Even if you want to do this, it’s not in your family’s best interest. Care is stressful, and providing around the clock care all by yourself will only burn you out, too. Accept the need, and then make the right moves.
Leave a Reply