When it comes to finding senior care, a lot of people are stuck in one mode of thinking. They worry about meeting the needs of their loved ones in a way that is convenient and affordable. Oftentimes, this can take on some sort of Medicaid funding nursing home after a spend down period, if the individual doesn’t already fit into the guidelines that Medicaid uses when it comes to income and resources.
Looking at all of your options can make care a lot more enjoyable and in keeping with your loved one’s desires. Research and observational analysis point to the fact that seniors that are happy tend to be healthier. Countless other studies link emotional and physical health in younger populations, too. It’s no surprise that these two are so closely related, but unfortunately, this is seldom on people’s checklists when they’re looking for care for themselves or an older loved one.
One way to ensure that this is taken into account is to start planning for care well before it’s ever needed. Planning ahead can make it so that you avoid the rush of finding adequate care after an emergency occurs. You can’t predict when an emergency situation will occur, but you can certainly have a plan in place just in case it is ever needed.
Emergency planning deserves a longform article of its own, but I can briefly mention it here. Things that should be included in this include long term care goals, physical and emotional needs, and the individual preferences of the person in question. For example, if you have an older loved one that is gluten intolerant, mentioning this in any sort of emergency planning can be a good way to ensure that health is maintained moving forward. Whoever ends up being responsible for care will need to know this in order to give your loved one the best care possible. And these seemingly little things can make senior care a lot more enjoyable.
Granted, the main purpose of senior care is not to establish happiness. The main goal is to give seniors a safe, comfortable, and healthy life while they are aging. It is designed to help seniors get the most out of their senior years, not necessarily to make them happy. But you and I both know very well that being happy makes things so much better.
This is why we go out of our way to make sure that the little things are taken into account when we match a caregiver with a client. We take great care to ensure that the person that works with your loved one has the right personality and interests to make care not just adequate, but great. When more than just physical needs are taken into account, the person receiving care is far more likely to be happy. And physical health tends to follow suit, making the entire senior care experience just a little bit better.
You and your family deserve care that makes you happy. If you’d like to learn more about how we can help make that happen, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
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