Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Coping With The Holidays When Experiencing Grief


Coping With the Holidays When Experiencing Grief

Grief-During-Holiday-600x315
Now that the holiday season has begun, it’s important to recognize that there are many who may not feel particularly festive. After losing a loved one, it can be hard to imagine entering the holiday season when there is someone missing. BAYADA Hospice Psychosocial Manager Molly Bull, MSW, offers the following tips:
  • Know that it’s ok to do things differently. Some people may find comfort in following family traditions. Others may find the thought of following those traditions without their loved one too painful. Both approaches are completely valid. Since different family members may fall into different categories, it’s important to have open communication and be respectful of each other’s points of view during this time of difficulty and transition.
  • Have a plan. Difficult situations can be made more challenging whenGrief-Candle-300x250 they catch you off-guard. Even though it still will not be easy, if you know what to expect, you have the opportunity to prepare emotionally. Once you have made a decision, do not create emotional unrest by second-guessing yourself.
  • Ask for help. There are people who want to support you but don’t know what you need. Here are some situations where you can provide concrete ways for friends to step in:
    • You want to have a tree, but need someone else to be the one to decorate it.
    • You could use another set of hands to help bake cookies with the kids.
    • You have decided to make a dish, or possibly the main meal, for the holiday dinner, but would prefer someone else deal with the crowds at the grocery store.
  • Determine what is:
    • Needed to be done.
    • Nice to do.
    • Nuts to do. 

      For example, you need to eat dinner; it would be nice to have dinner at a family member’s house; it would be nuts to host a five course meal for 30 people. Focus on the “need to do” and if you feel comfortable, sprinkle in a few things that are “nice to do.” Do not attempt the “nuts to do.”
  • Take care of yourself. You will need your rest to help you cope with the physically and emotionally draining times. Your body and mind can also function better through exercising and eating a balanced diet.

Holiday & Family


Holidays and Family

christmas imageI hope this “most wonderful time of the year” finds you happy and healthy!  Here we are in the middle of the holidays and 2015 is right around the corner!  Where does the time go?!  It seems to go by faster and faster each year.
This year was definitely a transitional year for my family.  Some big changes and big decisions were made with regards to my father-in-law.  My husband is the oldest of seven and also has two step-siblings.  So, needless to say, getting nine people, ten including my father-in-law, to agree on anything is a challenge.
My father-in-law’s decline started with my mother-in-law’s passing about two and a half years ago.  They had been married for nearly 30 years and they had planned for him to die first.  My mother-in-law was the healthy one, the active one, and everyone was sure she would live to 100.  Unfortunately, God had another plan for her.
She took care of my father-in-law and kept him somewhat active and social.  When she was gone, he sat in his chair.  He was depressed, especially around holidays.  We all tried to get him out, family came to visit in intervals, but he just didn’t seem to have the will to live.  Well, let me be really honest, he SAID he didn’t want to live.  He didn’t take care of himself, didn’t care to see anyone and wasn’t eating properly to keep up his strength.  He ended up in the hospital.
He had been there before, but this time, he was really weak and everyone decided the best thing for him was to go into an assisted living community.  He was not thrilled about it, but interestingly enough, he understood that he had put himself in that situation and realized that he really couldn’t live by himself.  And we would later find out, he really didn’t want to take care of himself.
He had options to stay in Colorado, or go back to Maryland where he is from.  His daughter and son live in Maryland, and so does his sister.  Amazingly enough, everyone agreed that Maryland was where he should go.  He was a little reluctant, but we gave him the option to come back if he really didn’t like it.  He was there for two months and decided to stay.  We have been back to visit and he is doing much better.
He has had some ups and downs, but for the most part he is doing as good as can be expected.  He is fortunate enough to have a decent retirement income, and he also was able to take advantage of his VA Aid and Attendance benefits.  Which, every veteran should sign up for any and all benefits they have earned.
A lot of the older generation don’t think they need it or don’t want the “help”, but anyone who knows me knows I am a huge proponent of Veterans using the benefits that they earned and deserve.  They served our country and gave of themselves as did their family.  They EARNED it and DESERVE every single benefit they are eligible for.  So please, please take advantage of those benefits.  Getting off my soapbox now….
I share this experience because I know our family is not alone in this experience.  I went through this with my dad a few years ago and my mom and I have already talked about her wishes when she is no longer able to live alone.
As the holidays are here and some of us are spending more time with family we haven’t seen in a while.  This is a good time to not only visit and enjoy time with your aging loved ones, be observant and look for the little, and big, signs there may be a problem developing.
If you do notice a situation that you feel needs to be discussed.  Choose the appropriate time and broach the subject in a non-threatening way.  There are some great resources under our resources tab on ParentYourParents.com.
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas.  Enjoy and embrace your loved one’s this holiday season, have have a Happy and Blessed New Year.
ParentYourParents.com ~ Helping You Help Your Aging Parents 

Thursday, December 11, 2014

New Grant Program Delivers Alzheimer's Care to Families in Need



New Grant Program Delivers Alzheimer’s Care to Families in Need


When comedian and actor Seth Rogen married actress Lauren Miller, he married into the “Alzheimer’s family.” You see, Lauren’s mother was diagnosed with the condition a few years ago, at age 55. Rogen quickly learned what a toll Alzheimer’s can take on both the affected person and the family caregivers. As he once told CNN, "I think until you see it firsthand, it's kind of hard to conceive of how brutal it is. Until I saw it, you just don't get kind of how heartbreaking it can be."
Because of their very personal experience with Alzheimer’s, Rogen and Miller created a movement called Hilarity for Charity®. The movement aims to increase awareness of Alzheimer’s and raise funds to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association. Hilarity for Charity has also partnered with Home Instead Senior Care® to provide grants for in-home Alzheimer’s care at no cost to families caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or other dementias. Locally owned Home Instead Senior Care franchises across the U.S. and Canada have also pledged more than 37,000 hours of in-home care services, valued at $740,000 to supplement the monetary funding provided by Hilarity for Charity for this program.
The Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Relief Grant program delivers much-needed help to families throughout the U.S. and Canada. All you have to do to be considered for a grant is fill out a grant application to be considered for a grant.
The grant program includes a free home care consultation so you can learn more about how these services can benefit your loved one (and you, as a family caregiver!). Alzheimer’s care services funded through the grant program will be delivered by a highly skilled and trained CAREGiverSM. Here are a few of the many ways professional in-home Alzheimer’s care can benefit your loved one:
  • Allows the senior to remain safe at home
  •  Encourages engagement
  •  Provides nutritious meals
  •  Creates social interaction
  •  Provides mind-stimulating activities
  •  Tracks changing behaviors
  •  Honors who the senior was earlier in life
  •  Supports the family
These Alzheimer’s care grants make it possible for you to get some time for yourself—to recharge your caregiving battery—while enjoying the peace-of-mind that comes from knowing your loved one is receiving top-notch care.
You do not need to demonstrate financial need to apply for an Alzheimer’s care grant. Hilarity for Charity and Home Instead Senior Care want to bring complimentary high-quality in-home care to as many people as possible. Anyone caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s is eligible to apply. Apply to receive an Alzheimer’s care grant today.
Alzheimer’s is the opposite of funny. But receiving free respite care may help put a smile back on your face.


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ALZHEIMER'S EXPERTS LIVE CHAT! End of Life Conversations: How to Discuss Difficult Topics with Your Loved Ones



Live Online Chats with Alzheimer's Experts


Upcoming Live Chats:

Dr. Amy D'Aprix
End of Life Conversations: How to Discuss Difficult Topics with Your Loved One
Live chat with expert Dr. Amy D'Aprix
December 18, 2014 at 5:00 pm EST
Register Now to Attend and:
—receive a free Alzheimer’s emergency kit
—get a chance to win a caregiver package
  • Get advice from Dr. Amy and other caregivers on ways to approach difficult conversations
  • Learn about Home Instead’s Action Plan for Successful Aging
  • Share experiences you’ve had discussing topics around aging like finances, living choices, health, and end of life

About the Expert

Dr. Amy D’Aprix, is an expert in aging, retirement, and caregiving, and a frequent guest on radio and television programs. She has authored two books on caregiving and friendship, has written numerous articles for various media publications and is highly sought-after as a trainer and speaker throughout North America.
We invite you to share your thoughts and experiences with respect to this important topic. To that end, please note that any response you elect to submit may be republished by Home Instead, Inc. and/or any of its independently owned and operated Home Instead Senior Care® franchise offices (collectively, “Home Instead”). By submitting your response, you irrevocably grant Home Instead permission and authorization to republish your response, in complete or partial form, in connection with any works that Home Instead may create, and waive any right to approve or inspect such republication. While we would welcome and appreciate your feedback and insight, please do not submit your response if you do not agree to these conditions.

Monday, December 8, 2014

What to Consider NOW When Hiring Home Care Services




Home care agencies can provide in-home care caregivers to consumers, or consumers can hire caregivers either privately or through the use of a registry, which refer self-employed caregivers. Home care agencies and consumers alike have traditionally been exempted by law from paying overtime to the caregivers they employ.
Several new laws will NOW (01/01/2015) impact that affordability. Family Home Care’s President, Donald Irish, was recently featured in the Council on Aging – Orange County Answers Guide. To read the full article click here.

Family Home Care is the legal employer of our entire caregiving team. Health professionals agree that the most important factor in selecting an in-home care agency is to select a company that services as the legal employer of the caregiver and thereby carries the associated legal and financial responsibilities.
The employer model home care agency shields families from legal liability and financial risk. Some home care companies hide the fact that they do not legally employee their caregivers, because this single factor has such broad and far reaching effects.

When you choose Family Home Care for your in-home care needs you can expect the following from our caregivers:
E-Verified W-2 Employees
All Caregivers are Background Checked & have Fingerprint Clearance through the State
Verified Drug & Alcohol Free Workplace
CPR Certified & TB Screened
Previous In-Home Caregiving Experience Verified
Provided with Ongoing & Specialized Training
·         In-House Skills Development Lab
·         80+ Hour Foundational Caregiving Training Program
·         Alzheimer’s & Memory Care Training
·         Hospice & Palliative Care Training
Covered by Extensive Safety Net
·         Workers’ Compensation Insurance
·         Bonded Against Theft/Dishonesty
·         General & Umbrella Liability Coverage
·         Compatibility Guarantee
Driving/Transport Services Provided
Caregiver’s License & Motor Vehicle Insurance Verified
Caregiver’s MVR/DMV Driving History Verified
Multilingual Care Team
·         Please inquire with your specific need
PLEASE ASK FOR AND EXPTEC THESE STANDARDS WHEN SELECTING AN IN-HOME CARE AGENCY.

Visit us online @ www.familyinhomecare.com 


Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Venture Out of East Mesa "HOMECOMING EVENT"


VENTURE OUT of East Mesa invite us to attend their 
HOMECOMING EVENT 
welcoming their residents back for the Season!

Thank you for the invitation!  It was great to meet your team and 
share the SPOTLIGHT Guide with your residents.  Thank you!!






Saturday, November 8, 2014

Whatever It Takes and Then Some Program







Life Care’s Whatever It Takes And Then Some program is designed to reward associates who go above and beyond their job description in the care of a resident, resident’s family member, associates or guests in the facility. 

Every day, each Life Care facility accepts nominations for associates who have performed an exceptional act of service. Every full- or part-time associate, with the exception of the executive director and director of nursing, is eligible to win this award, no matter how long they have worked in the building.

At the month’s end, facility management reviews the monthly nominations to determine which nominee best exemplifies the spirit of Whatever It Takes And Then Some. A ceremony is held in the winner’s honor, and they receive a cash prize of $100. Each monthly winner is eligible to win the yearly award.

At the close of each year, facility leadership meets to determine which monthly winner best exemplifies the second half of the motto, And Then Some. This yearly winner is celebrated with a ceremony and a cash prize of $500.

Each regional vice president then chooses the best example of the annual Whatever It Takes And Then Some winners from their region to be submitted to the division vice presidents, who then choose three winners from each division to pass on to the president’s office.

Corporate leadership then reviews all the winners submitted by division vice presidents to select one annual winner per division. Divisional winners are flown to Life Care’s corporate headquarters and honored during the annual management meeting. Winners are also given a cash prize of $1,000 and honored by a feature story in Life Matters and on Life Care’s Intranet site Village Square.

The winners for 2012, presented their awards in September 2013, are:

  • Central Division – Sherman Lindsay, cook at Life Care Center of Florissant, Missouri
  • Eastern Division – Arlane Howell, assistant director of nursing at Life Care Center of Tullahoma, Tennessee
  • Mountain States Division – Rae Ann Barkley, certified nursing assistant at Life Care Center of Casper, Wyoming
  • Northeast Division – Jaclyn Helzerman, director of social services at Rivergate Terrace in Riverview, Michigan
  • Northwest Division –  Elany Kisner, certified nursing assistant at Life Care Center of Sandpoint, Idaho
  • Southeast Division – Cynthia Garcia, assistant dietary manager at Alameda Oaks Nursing Center in Corpus Christi, Texas
  • Southwest Division – Michael Lingos, physical therapist at Life Care Center of Menifee, California
Visit our website at:  www.lcca.com

Dementia Mentors is LIVE!



Dementia Mentors is LIVE!

Dementia Mentors Logo

I am very excited to share the new Dementia Mentors website!  For all of us who have, or had, a family member or friend with dementia, this is a huge step in the right direction in helping people live with, and manage, this horrible disease.   What a fabulous concept to have people living with dementia, who understand what the disease is about and what it does to a person, offering newly diagnosed people and their families an insightful understanding and perspective.
Below is a brief overview of what you will find on the Dementia Mentors website:
Goals:
—Provide supportive mentoring, motivation, social engagement and more for those living with dementia.
—To be honest and tell it like it is. No sugar coating.
—Show you how you can rule your dementia and not let dementia rule you! – See more at: http://dementiamentors.com/#sthash.bch3vZ4R.dpuf
Mentoring:
Through this website you will be able to converse one-on-one with a dementia mentor (Remember, all mentors are living with the symptoms of dementia themselves).
This will be accomplished via video chat.
By using a computer equipped with a webcam and microphone, you will be able to do this from the privacy and comfort of your own home. The tool we are using is as simple as the clicking on a link.
This is a “safe place.” The sessions are strictly confidential. We want everyone to be comfortable asking their mentor anything!
Motivational Videos:
We have several short and empowering videos, created by our mentors, instructing how to rule your disease. We will add new videos weekly.
Virtual Memory Café:
We will be hosting live, virtual memory café’s. These social gatherings are only for those with dementia. A mentor will always be in attendance. If you wish to talk about your symptoms, that’s fine, or if you simply want to talk about the weather, that’s fine as well.
We want to help you stay socially connected by providing you with an hour or so with real people that are walking in the same shoes that you are.
We will be hosting other virtual special events, posting the dates and times on our Activity Page.
Activity Page:
“Use it or lose it.” To prevent “loss” we have created an activity page where the puzzles are designed with dementia in mind.
These puzzles will be changed periodically in order to keep your mind working. This is one of the wisest things to do to possibly slow down the devastation dementia can leave in its wake.
Brain Storming Sessions:
Join our brain storming sessions and brain storm with us about the needs of people with Dementia. We brain storm on line via a simple to use video chat tool.
Our brain storming sessions are fun and stimulating. There is no right or wrong — only great ideas and a free flowing discussion about what people living with Dementia and their families want and need — now and in the future.
There are videos, activities, mentor and much more available with the click of a mouse.  I can’t thank Gary and his team enough for developing the Dementia Mentors website  I said it before, but it is truly a great resource and a God send for those living with dementia.  I absolutely love the tag line, “Helping you rule your Dementia.”  What an empowering statement.  No one wants to be ruled by a disease, and this website is a fabulous tool to help people remain in control of their lives for as long as possible.
If you have a family member or friend affected by dementia, I hope you will visit Dementia Mentors if you haven’t already.  And after visiting the website, I encourage you to spread the word about this unique and wonderful tool.
Best of luck in your journey and may God bless you and your loved ones.
Amber
ParentYourParents.com ~ Helping You Help Your Aging Parents

Am I Covered? Undstanding Your Home Health Care Insurance Benefits




Selecting the best health insurance coverage for your family can be complicated. So many choices, so many considerations, and so expensive! Comparing deductibles, copays, annual limits, provider networks, covered services, and more, makes it challenging to choose a plan that best fits your current needs.  And then there’s the unknown; will someone in your family be diagnosed with a serious illness or suffer a traumatic injury? How can you plan for that? How will you pay for home health care?Melissa Burnside, division director of BAYADA Home Health Care, understands how difficult – yet critically important – it is to understand the ‘nitty gritty’ of health insurance coverage – especially when it comes to home health care.
“In the Insurance Confirmation Department at BAYADA, we talk to people every day about their health coverage,” says Melissa, “Some people are new clients who’ve never had to worry about home health care before, while others have been receiving services for years. We find that many clients often don’t fully understand the home health care coverage and eligibility requirements of their plan. Sometimes the benefit is much different than they expected.”
With all the changes from the Affordable Care Act affecting the way health care is managed, delivered, and paid, it’s safe to say that comparing plans and choosing the best coverage is more complicated than ever. Whether your insurance is through an employer or through the government Health Insurance Marketplace (The Exchange), Melissa recommends carefully evaluating your options.
Evaluate. Compare. Ask for help.
Stock-Insurance-Paperwork-250x200Your plan’s Summary of Benefits and Coverage, which every plan must provide, only provides a brief mention of home health care with no critical details such as visit limits, authorization policy, exclusions, or the definition of medical necessity. Tara Montague, a BAYADA employee and mother of a pediatric client, knows all too well how important those specifics are.
“I always tell people to ask their insurer for full disclosure documents and read them with a microscope,” cautions Tara, “And ask them to explain it if you don’t understand.”
Tara’s daughter, Mary, 16, has been receiving home health care private duty nursing since she was an infant. Mary was born with two congenital disorders: Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1 and Cerebrocostomandibular Syndrome.
SMA is a motor neuron disease that severely affects a child’s muscular development. Mary has the most severe form and is unable to move or speak. Coupled with Cerebrocostomandibular Syndrome, an extremely rare inherited disorder characterized by an abnormally small jaw, malformations of the roof of the mouth, improper positioning of the tongue, and abnormal development of the ribs, Mary’s care requires round-the-clock attention.
“My husband and I both work during the day and could really use 24 hours of nursing care for Mary, but most insurances only provide 16 hours,” explains Tara. “Our insurance company said that overnight nursing wasn’t ‘necessary’. I guess they didn’t expect us to ever sleep.”
Melissa agrees that it’s very common for insurance companies – including Medicaid – to provide up to only 16 hours of private duty nursing.  Many families pay out of pocket for additional nursing care, but that can be very costly. Others have to make adjustments to their schedules to be the caregivers.
After a serious month-long hospitalization in the spring, Mary was discharged with a temporary four hour increase of home nursing care, bringing it to 20 hours a day. Once that increase expired, Tara appealed to extend it and won, but it’s still temporary.
“We have arranged Mary’s care schedule so that we have a night nurse and coverage during the day while we’re at work,” says Tara. “My husband and I fill in the gaps in the evening.”
Consider all your options
Both Tara and Melissa recommend that when evaluating and comparing health insurance plans during open enrollment or at any other time, people should make the effort to look at all the particulars.  Understand the out-of-pocket contribution versus the premium (at one point, Mary had an individual plan that had a very high premium, but it paid 100% of the nursing care), consider the coverage benefit for prescriptions, durable medical equipment, therapy, and more, and find out what is considered a “medical necessity.”
“Unfortunately, people make a lot of assumptions when it comes to home health care coverage. The benefit and eligibility can be vastly different than those for more commonly-covered services such as doctor visits,” says Melissa. “The good news is that there are a lot of plans out there and it’s a matter of finding out which one best fits your needs and budget. BAYADA is always happy to help our clients evaluate their options so that they can maximize their home health care benefit to get the coverage they need.”

Visit our website at:  www.blog.bayada.com/cares

Assets Key To Long-Term Care System


Question: I have been caring for my father for about a year, and I cannot provide him with the assistance he needs. We looked into applying for ALTCS, but my dad has too many assets to qualify. The ALTCS representative warned us against transferring dad’s assets. Is it possible for him to instead pay me for the services I have provided him as a means to help him meet the resource requirement?
Answer: There are two primary rules at play here. First, your father must meet a resource requirement to qualify for ALTCS long-term care coverage. Second, ALTCS penalizes applicants who attempt to satisfy the resource requirement by transferring assets without compensation. The answer to your question, then, centers on whether the services you provided to your father would justly compensate him for any payment that he might give you.
To begin, ALTCS does allow for compensation in the form of personal care services. For this approach to work, however, there are certain requirements that have to be met. Most importantly, there has to be a valid personalcare contract that outlines the terms of the agreement. To be valid, a personalcare contract must specify the type, frequency and time to be spent providing services. Further, the contract must specify the amount and frequency of payment, and such frequency should be no less than monthly while services are being provided. Finally, the personalcare contract needs to be executed before the provision of services.
If a personal-care contract was not executed before you provided your father with services, I would probably advise you to pursue other strategies for helping your father spend down.
Richard White is an elder law attorney at JacksonWhite Attorneys at Law. For more information on Elder Law at JacksonWhite, please visit www.ArizonaSeniorLaw.com.
This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace individual legal advice.
Aging and the Law is authored by the attorneys at JacksonWhite and addresses legal issues that arise for the elderly and their families. Questions can be sent to firm@jacksonwhitelaw.com.

How Will ALTCS Affect Your Home?


Question: I have lived with my elderly mother for several years, doing everything in my power to care for her. We finally reached a point at which I can no longer provide her with the care that she needs, so we are exploring the Arizona Long Term Care System. If we pursue ALTCS, however, I am concerned that ALTCS will take my mother’s house, which would deprive me of my living situation. Is there anything I can do to help my mom and protect my living arrangements? 

Answer:
 ALTCS will never take the home from an ALTCS applicant who is approved for the benefit. It can, however, seek recovery against home equity belonging to an ALTCS member once that member passes away. As with most legal rules, however, there are certain exceptions to ALTCS’ ability to recover against home equity, and it sounds like you might fit neatly into just such an exception. 

In a typical case, if an ALTCS applicant transfers a home to his or her child, ALTCS will impose a penalty period, during which time it won’t pay for care. However, where an ALTCS applicant transfers a home to his or her child who has been living in that home for two or more years, and who has been providing care that has kept the applicant from being institutionalized, ALTCS will forego imposing the penalty. 

As you can imagine, ALTCS will not simply take your word for this — there is an evidentiary standard that must be met, but with proper direction, you could potentially accomplish your twin goals of helping mom and protecting the home. 

Richard White is an elder law attorney at JacksonWhite Attorneys at Law. For more information on Elder Law at JacksonWhite, please visit www.ArizonaSeniorLaw.com.
This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace individual legal advice.
Aging and the Law is authored by the attorneys at JacksonWhite and addresses legal issues that arise for the elderly and their families. Questions can be sent to firm@jacksonwhitelaw.com.

Making Long-Distance Caregiving Work For Your Family




Caregiving from a distance is never easy. Making sure a loved one who needs help is getting the help they need, taking their medications and getting to appointments can be challenging enough, let alone trying to help coordinate these things from hundreds, even thousands of miles away. Here are some helpful tips to make your life a lot easier, according to AARP.
Create a Contact List. Assemble addresses and phone numbers of friends, neighbors, doctors, faith leaders and others in regular contact with your parents who can be reached in the event of an emergency. Include at least one person close by who can easily check in on your loved one. Consider giving this person a key to your home with your loved one’s approval. Give one copy of this list to your loved one and keep a copy for yourself.
Collect Important Information Before a Crisis. Keep these things organized in case something happens.
  • Medical
    • Medical records
    • Notes on their condition
    • A list of medications they take
    • Names and phone numbers of all doctors
    • Name and phone number of their pharmacy
  • Insurance
    • A list of insurance policies, the carriers and account numbers
  • Utilities
    • Company names and phone numbers for all utilities, including electric, phone, cable and internet
  • Financial
    • A list of all assets and debts (include dollar values)
    • Yearly or monthly income
    • Yearly or monthly expenses
    • A statement of net worth
    • Information on bank accounts, other financial holdings and credit cards
  • Legal
    • Relevant legal documents your loved one has or wants to create (i.e. wills, advance directives, trusts, powers of attorney)
    • Location of important documents (i.e. birth certificates, deed to home)
    • Social security numbers
Make Visits Productive. Visiting your parent or loved one should be an enjoyable event. But take advantage of time together to address needs.
  • Before your visit, decide together with your loved ones what needs to be taken care of while you’re there, including scheduling any necessary appointments.
  • Make a list of household items that need to be purchased and, if possible, go out and buy them.
  • Allow time to go through mail and old papers.
  • Take note of anything out of the ordinary and of what they eat. Check to see what they have in their refrigerator and pantry and if it’s sufficient.
Look into Public Benefits Online. By using Benefits QuickLINK you can find helpful state, federal and private benefits programs for which your parents live. By answering a few questions, you will get fact sheets, applications and websites for programs that can help them save money and cover costs of everyday expenses.
Keep Lines of Communication Open. Be sensitive to your parents’ views. At first, they may not be very open to change. Maintain a positive focus, explain how the services will work and that they are designed to help your parent remain independent. If possible, offer to contribute to the cost of care without appearing to offer charity. If your suggestions are turned down, have an unbiased third party, like a doctor, recommend the service.
And be sure to check out www.caretogether.com as a free tool for caregivers to organize care for a loved one in a private and secure setting featuring a shared calendar, custom task lists and more.
Visit our website at:  www.brightstarcare.com