I saw this article (edited) by Julie Northcutt and thought I would share.
Do your parents live in another city, state or country from you? Do you only enjoy a lengthy visit with them at the year-end holidays? If this is the case, remember to take a complete assessment of their current care needs while you are visiting. This will allow you to prevent emergency senior care planning later and eliminate theadded stress last minute planning can cause.
Check on the following areas for any necessary updates so you will have good information to assist you in managing senior care from a distance:
- Medical Conditions: Do you know all of their diagnosed medical conditions?Ask about the more common medical issues which can escalate as we age, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, hearing loss, weight gain, arthritis, forgetfulness. Remember that the earlier any medical condition is diagnosed, the better the chances of slowing the progression.
- Medical Doctors: Do you know the names of all their medical doctors, along with their contact information? If they are not seeing a geriatric medical doctor, find out if their doctor has discussed age-related diseases with them and conducted a mini-mental exam in the past year.
- Medications: Are the medications organized and are they taking them consistently? Taking medications at the proper time and as directed (with or without food) does impact the effectiveness of the medication. Find out if they have kept up on refills of all prescribed medications.
- Home Safety: If mobility or hearing or vision losses are becoming issues, find out what products you can purchase to make their daily activities easier. Vintage @ Home could help you evaluate their home for safety issues. Call Jenny at 387-8881.
- Driving: How is their driving ability? Ask the neighbors and take a ride with them yourself to find out.
- Retirement Care Plan: Where do your parents want to receive care in the event they suffer a stroke, heart attack or fall?
- Guardians: Who has been assigned the Power of Attorney and the Power of Attorney for Health Care? Make sure everyone knows who will be in charge and where the family keeps these documents.
- Resources: Learn what care providers are available in the area, from nursing homes to senior home care agencies to assisted living communities. This way you will be familiar with the choices.
- Costs: What is the budget for senior care? Has a long-term care insurance policy been purchased? If not, what are the financial capabilities to pay for care privately? If you would like a free evaluation, call Frank at Vintage Care (279-3330).
The takeaway: Invest the time to be prepared. It will pay large dividends later.
Sign up for our monthly email newsletter, The Vintage Voice.
Have a great weekend,
Joe Freudenthal
Principal
Vintage Senior Living
Post a Comment