Care for an elderly loved one goes far beyond simple decisions. There is always an emotional side to the decisions that you will make when planning out senior care for a loved one. Ignoring this side of things is not only foolish, it is trivializing the loving and very emotional relationship that you have had with your family for a countless number of years.
Emotional difficulties can also arise in other aspects of care. Paying for care is one of the most volatile areas, in this respect thanks to the fact that money is always a sensitive subject. Let’s look at a few areas of concern, and some of the common concerns that people have.
Religious and moral problems can occur when you are going through the process of figuring out how you will be paying for senior care and the search in general. Is it ethical to use something like Medi-Cal or Medicaid when you are paying for care for your mom or dad, even if you have the financial resources to pay for some of their care? Is it okay to put your parent in a nursing home if that’s the best place for them, even if they clearly do not want to go to a nursing home? What if your mom has dementia and cannot make decisions for themselves? When is it appropriate to step in and help? There are many similar scenarios where making senior care related decisions is not easy. Even doing the right thing might bring about feelings of guilt. How should we deal with this?
There aren’t a lot of definite things in life, but there are some. For one, the fact that you love your family and want the best for them is indisputable. Paying for expensive care isn’t always what’s most beneficial for everyone in your family. In fact, a nursing home stay is often more than twice as expensive as in-home care, yet in-home care can often satisfy the emotional needs of your parent in a more meaningful way thanks to the fact that they can stay close to a familiar place with people that they love. And expensive care isn’t necessarily the best option in every single case.
It’s important to take all members of your family into account when planning senior care. If there are resources available to you, such as Medicaid, use them. As long as you are not being manipulative in your actions regarding these resources, this is perfectly fine. That’s why they are there, after all. Many people don’t like the idea of being dependent upon the government when public insurances are utilized, but remember that these programs are there because they are needed. There is no harm in using them–they are designed to help you and your family! We understand the moral dilemmas that you might face, but in the end, helping your family is far more important. When you need assistance, it’s reassuring to know that there is help out there for you.
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