Taking care of your elderly family members is an essential aspect of their long-term care plan. Taking care of them in the comforts of their homes is a simple way to save money and assess what they’ll need for a comfortable life. In fact, you, as their child, are responsible for finding the ideal medical in-home care to make them comfortable.
To achieve that goal, you’ll have to look for a patient and caring caregiver. Keep in mind that your elderly family members find it challenging to depend on other people for their care. You’ll have to educate yourself about the means of providing your elderly parents with the best possible care. Below is a guide that aims to help you during these times.
Be Mindful of Their Well-being
Taking care of your elderly parents can start with a daily or weekly phone call to check in on their current condition; however, that course of action will not benefit you in certain circumstances. In fact, most of them tend to hide away their problems over the phone.
If your loved one is dealing with Alzheimer’s or dementia, visit them as regularly as possible to assess their overall condition. Install motion sensors or cameras. Innovative means of checking on your loved ones will notify you if something happens.
Find a Trustworthy Caregiver
You can’t ignore the fact that there will be times when you can’t provide what your loved ones need. If you’re a busy individual, hiring a caregiver who can help them complete a few tasks around the house is helpful. That can include:
- Doctor’s appointments
- Errand running or laundry
- Extra help around the house
- Meal preparations or planning
- Driving
In other cases, you might have to be away for days due to a business trip or personal errand. Hiring a caregiver will make the burden lighter. You won’t have to worry about leaving your loved one alone for a certain amount of time.
Be Attentive to Your Well-being
Learn how to keep yourself healthy. You can’t look after sick people if you can’t control your emotions or break down. Make it a habit to nurture your body, mind, and spirit, so you’ll have the stamina, resources, and energy to look after your loved ones.
You have to take care of yourself first to minimize the risks of musculoskeletal disorders, depression, anxiety, and stress. If possible, let your other family members help you with this task. Don’t forget to rest or enjoy your life while looking after them.
Make Your Home Accessible
Take a look around the house to eliminate the chances of a safety hazard. You might have to pay for a few minor upgrades or major renovations to make your loved one’s life more comfortable while staying at home. That can include:
- Organizing wires, cords, and cables to prevent potential slips or falls
- Getting rid of unused furniture or clutter lying around the house
- Using non-skid strips or mats in potentially slippery areas of the house
- Installing auto-sensor nightlights so that they can see during nighttime
- Ensuring the overall lighting in the house is bright enough
- Installing and testing carbon monoxide and smoke detectors
- Installing a raised toilet, grab bars or handrails, and a ramp at home
Make the necessary adjustments to make their homes safe and accessible.
Discuss Financing Options
For others, taking care of their elderly parents or family members might seem financially impossible; however, you can now use innovative tools to make the job lighter. Looking after your loved ones doesn’t entail using up all of your savings or quitting your job. It’ll help to discuss their finances, even if they’re not comfortable with the topic.
It’s an important aspect, primarily if they only depend on a fixed income or have a monthly budget to follow.
Be Attentive to Their Medicines
Make sure you also stock on the prescription medicines they might need. It would help if you had them refilled as frequently required as possible. You can use a pill organizer with different compartments labeled with the times they need to take the pill. That will make the administration more manageable, especially if they’ll have to take a few pills.
If their doctor prescribes new pills, don’t forget to ask about possible interactions with existing medications or potential side effects.
Find the Time to Visit Often
Even if you’re hiring someone to care for them, you still have to visit them as frequently as possible. Your elderly loved ones will still need your presence, and you’ll also get the assurance that they’re doing well, healthy, and safe. During your visit, walk around their house to check if you have something to fix or address.
That can include overall cleanliness or minor repairs around the house. It’s also best to regularly check their plants, mail, laundry, and food supply.
Looking after your elderly parent can be physically, emotionally, mentally, and financially exhausting for the family. You have to be creative in looking after your elderly parents if you want to minimize the amount of stress and frustration you’ll be carrying. One way to do that is by hiring the right home caregiver to look after them even if you’re away.
