The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how we think about seniors and aging. In many ways, the care system has let us down throughout. But that doesn’t mean that it will stay this way.
One of the big problems that we often see is that most people aren’t aware of what services exist or what the differences in the types of care that exist nearby. This isn’t because of a lack of education, but rather that there are so many other things competing for our attention. You have kids, a job, bills, and home repairs to worry about. Oftentimes, thinking about care for an older parent isn’t on your radar.
And then, suddenly it’s the highest priority in your life.
Another issue that people run into on a consistent basis is the fact that it can be overwhelming to speak to professionals. This goes for any field that you are not proficient in, but the care and medical fields tend to be especially tough for people to approach sometimes. Doctors and other professionals often seem rushed, making asking questions even tougher. As a result, a lot of people end up feeling like they are in the dark when it comes to their loved one’s needs.
Senior care itself is not a failure. If anything, senior care is far more necessary today than ever before. There are more seniors than ever, and they are living longer than ever. Care is only going to continue to become more and more needed as time goes by.
No one deserves subpar care. Everyone in need of senior care should have access to high quality care. Yes, there have been failures of the care system as a whole in the recent past, but this does not mean that our loved ones are doomed to receive inferior care. The first step is to bring awareness to these shortcomings. Next, we need to be proactive about making changes and fixing things where we can. This might mean stepping out of your comfort zone so that you can be more aware of what’s available to you and your loved ones. It might mean asking questions to professionals who might seem rushed or unable to devote extra time to you. It might mean looking for alternatives. But either way, there are little things that you can do to help address these failures.
These issues are certainly not the fault of people who are receiving care, but by being aware and addressing them in your own way, we can start to see widespread changes take place.
Know that there are people on your side. We would love to be on your team, but there are a lot of really good services out there that can help. If you’re in the Bay Area, feel free to get ahold of us and ask us what’s on your mind regarding care. We can’t change the system, but we can change the lives of the people that we work with. We’d love to talk more about care and how we can help.
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