Many senior safety issues cannot be solved in practical manners. There are always helpful tips out there on the web for you to consider, and a lot of them are very good. For example, keep salt handy so that walking outside in colder temperatures is safe so that ice doesn’t accumulate. Wear non-slip, rubber soled shoes. Install handles in the bathroom to make transfers easier. These are definitely good pieces of advice and should be used if possible. But there is a bigger problem that undercuts these issues: a lack of affordable, adequate care. Most senior citizens and their families believe that they do not have the resources to get the best quality in care, and as a result, do not pursue senior care.
One of the biggest reasons behind this is money. There is a belief–usually a correct one–that senior care is far too expensive to be a choice for most people. In many cases, this is true, but not all. Yes, most seniors are living on a fixed income, and Social Security benefit increases often lag far behind cost of living. This increases around 3% a year, while Social Security is around 1.5% or so. And in years like this one, when energy costs go up dramatically, even the increase in monthly payments can seem like a decrease in pay. Heating and electricity have gone up in cost, and this eats up a lot of the benefits received. It leaves little left over for senior care.
Going with a family caregiver can seem like a great choice, but studies have revealed that this is actually more costly. The opportunity cost of not working to care for someone takes away income, and this can impact the entire family, meaning that more people suffer. Care is not free–even when it is provided at no cost by a family member or through insurance, someone is paying for it. The best way to go about providing for an elderly family member is to plan ahead and make sure that they are getting the best care and that it isn’t financially burdening the family.
In-home care is one of the cheaper methods of senior care out there. It is low in price, and it is easy to provide because it takes places right in the home. It’s a big source of security and can allow you to still provide the loving encouragement and support that you want to when the caregiver is not there. In this sense, it is a rare way to give your family member professional care, save money, and still be the main provider for everyone in the family. In-home care is not for all, but it is the best for most, and this makes it worthy of attention.
Think about it: if you could save money long term simply by doing something great for your family, why would you not do it? Senior care can seem expensive, but most people don’t consider that not providing care is even more expensive.
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