Caring for Your Parents and Loneliness

Depending on your parents’ health, it may be necessary to move in with them. Though this will greatly alleviate worries for your siblings, it could leave you feeling isolated. If you are only spending time with your parents, you may feel you have no one your age to talk to. If this is the case, let your siblings know and try to:

•    Be honest with your siblings.

•    Make a list of specific things they could help you with to give yourself a little more free time.

•    Ask them to visit more often.

•    Set up a Facebook page and get in contact with your friends from the past.

•    Invite a friend to dinner.

•    Contact a local bookstore to find a book club you could join.

•    Check your local newspaper to find out about upcoming events in your community.

•    Renew old acquaintances in communities you were a part of.

Letting your family know how you are feeling can be very beneficial. With their help, you can develop a new social circle to help you cope with the feelings of loneliness.

If you require more information about eldercare, read this help guide.

Caregiverstress.com

Caregiving Help for Elder Care

At around the age of 50, you should expect to start caring for your parents. There are a lot of ways you can help your aging parents out, including:

•    Caring and maintaining for the house.

•    Paying bills and arranging doctor’s appointments.

•    Selling the house and moving into a care facility.

•    Hiring a nurse to visit your parent’s house periodically.

These options can greatly alleviate the stress your parents’ responsibilities have on them. Just make sure you aren’t biting off more than you can chew.

Action Time

After discussing the options with your parents, it is time to make a decision. You may feel overwhelmed that their future lies in your hands.

Before taking action, consider the following:

•    Are your parents just overwhelmed? Do they just need reassurance you will be there if they need you?

•    Take the point of view of your siblings and group it behind the opinion of your parents’.

•    Are you parents capable of making an informed decision?

•    Teamwork is the best approach to resolving this dilemma so work together.

For more information on caring for elderly parents and maintaining peace within the family, read this online help Caregiverstress.com.

Seniors and Self-Directed Care

Many seniors will need some form of assistance if they become ill or develop a disease. However, the needs of all seniors will vary. Some seniors will benefit from self-directed care, in which they will be involved in the decisions regarding what type of senior care and services they need and who will be providing this care. The information below can help assess seniors for self-directed care.

1.    Always take the time to ask the senior their views on the situation. Involve family members in these discussions as well. Also be sure to ask the senior if they have any interest in adult daycare programs.

2.    Make note of how the senior functions on a daily basis. It is important to know whether they can care for themselves in any way. Some seniors may require minimal assistance, such as with keeping up with laundry or getting to appointments.

3.    Be sure that the safety needs of the senior are always being met.

4.    It is important to make sure seniors feel safe in their home. Ask them if this is the case. In addition, spiritual beliefs should be supported and social needs tended to. Seniors should not be isolated from the rest of the world just because they are old and may have an illness.

Source: eHow.com

Important Decisions You Should Talk About With Your Family

When it comes to caring for aging parents there are a lot of things you must keep in mind. Discuss the following topics in a calm manner, keeping in mind your parents may find some of the subjects private.

•    Family inheritances
•    Finances
•    End of life issues
•    Estate Planning
•    Caring for Your Parent

The 50-50 Rule

Caring for your aging parents can be a difficult process. There are some methods for handling this difficult subject. Problems can arise between you and your parents or you and your siblings. The 50-50 rule refers to how you should divide the labor between you and your siblings. It also is the average age a child has to start thinking about options for their parents’ future.

Questions You May Come Across When Caring for an Aging Parent

It is very common to feel overwhelmed when it comes to caring for someone who spent their life caring for you. There are some questions to keep in mind when it comes to making arrangements for eldercare including:

•    What is the best way to divide the workload between your siblings?
•    How do you reach agreements on important topics with your family?
•    What is the best way to build teamwork among your family?
•    How do you avoid family conflict?

For more information check out this site. (http://www.caregiverstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/The-50-50-Rule-Helping-Siblings-Overcome-Conflict.pdf)

Options for Financially Assisting Your Parents

There may be a point in time when you will have to assist your parents financially. Here are some potential solutions to financial problems:

•             Seek the advice of a financial advisor or lawyer

•             Help your parents out now and receive the money back in your inheritance.

•             Share all agreements with your siblings and invite them to be part of the agreement as well.

Recession Statistics

Everyone was affected by the recession – including your parents. They could have had a toll taken on their retirement fund. Remind your family they are not alone:

•             The Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy Canada reported that the share of insolvent consumers for people 55 and up has more than quadrupled in the past two decades.

•             According to the Annual Survey of Senior Costs, released by the Senior Citizens League, one quarter of older US adults have lost their buying power.

Click here for more information on financially assisting your parents

Home Instead Senior Care provides non medical home care services for seniors in Rhode Island and the elderly who choose to live at home instead. Please call us for more information on our in-home care services at 401-667-2923.

Finances are stressful for everyone, including your parents. During these tough times it may be necessary to assist your parents in a number of ways. This could include lending them money or taking control of their finances. With age, remembering certain tasks can become difficult and the responsibility of paying bills on time can prove too much.

Some Tips for Handling Financial Woes

•             Discuss every aspect of your parent’s financial situation that they are comfortable sharing.

•             Reach a financial agreement everyone is happy with.

•             Keep in mind the impact the recession has had on seniors. In Canada, 20.6 percent of seniors filed for bankruptcy in 2009.

•             Automatic bill paying is good for seniors who have trouble remembering to get them in on time.

•             Maintain a united front with your siblings.

•             Ensure everyone understands the problems and the outcomes.

Be Clear

When it comes to discussing finances with your parents be sure everyone is clear on what the problem is and your siblings understand the situation as well. When reaching a solution, verify that everyone is happy and comfortable with the end result.

Source: CaregiverStress.com

1.            Be honest if taking the bulk of the responsibility is becoming overwhelming. Let your siblings know the things they can do to help.

2.            Plan ahead for your parent’s wishes. Decide ahead of time how you will divide responsibilities amongst your siblings.

3.            Be flexible when it comes to the needs of your parents and siblings. Consider schedules, skills and interests when it comes to dividing the responsibility.

4.            Research options to determine the type of care that your parent needs and look for organizations and resources that can meet your needs.

5.            Talk and listen to your parent because their independence is important to them. It is best to talk to your family before caregiving starts.

So when it comes to caring for your elderly parents following the tips above will help prevent any conflict. Just be sure to always communicate how you are feeling and make sure your parent’s wishes aren’t being ignored.

•             Living a life of independence—Many seniors are limited in terms of independence, needing someone to drive them to appointments or remind them to take their pills every morning. However, geriatric technology helps the senior be more independence. Many of these inventions help the senior get by every day, while feeling independent at the same time.

•             Caregivers can’t be replaced—While many geriatric inventions can help seniors, it is still important to have a caregiver or some sort of human helping out. Seniors should know their caregiver can’t be replaced with the latest shiny gadget for senior care.

•             Elderly Lifestyles Can Be Enriched—Being a senior can be difficult at times with things to always remember and those normal aches and pains. At the same time, new elderly technologies can make a senior’s lifestyle better. General Electric and Intel have developed products for seniors that don’t hurt a senior’s everyday life, but make it easier and more enjoyable.

•             Education on New Technology is key—Technology can be confusing to seniors, but it doesn’t have to be. Education is key when it comes to understanding the benefits of geriatric technology. Often seniors are afraid of new inventions and modern conveniences, but if you learn about these trends, they might not be so daunting and strange.

1.            The program was developed by Ellen Phipps. Specialists will visit the home of a caregiver one time a week and teach them how to set up activity stations.

2.            The stations can include painting, gardening or any activity that would be meaningful for the Alzheimer patient.

3.            As the number of people with dementia and Alzheimer’s continue to grow, additional support for caregivers is needed. More than 85 percent of people receiving services from a caregiver are suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s.

4.            It is believed that 1 in every 10 individuals over the age of 65 and 50% of those over 85 may have Alzheimer’s or dementia.

5.            The goal of the new support program is to teach caregivers how to provide activities that can add meaning to the life of a senior.

6.            The program is geared towards those with all levels of dementia and will help them improve their levels of functioning.

Source: Star Exponent

1.            Always watch for and observe the signs of burnout, lack of motivation and sadness. You should also be aware of your sleep patterns and how well you can maintain control over common situations.

2.            Do not strive for perfection. This is not the time to be a stellar housekeeper or a hostess. It is a time to set priorities. Do not allow others to add to your list of priorities.

3.            It is ok to put things off until later. Not everything can be done in a single day.

4.            Learn how to ask for help. There is no reason for you to have to manage all of the responsibilities. Ask a family member or friend for help if you need it.

5.            Make sure to learn about the illness you are dealing with. If the senior has Alzheimer’s, become familiar with the disease. This can help you provide better care and can reduce your own stress levels.

6.            Allow time for yourself and know it is okay to take a break.

Source: factoidz.com