Arranging Senior Home Care

It’s time to talk about senior home care for your mom. She doesn’t want to move in with anyone, and she doesn’t want to leave her neighborhood for something smaller and more manageable. Gather the family and discuss these topics.

What Are Her Goals?

What are your mom’s goals as she ages? Would she want her adult children providing her care or does she dislike the thought of burdening you? You may not see helping her as a burden, but you can’t dismiss her feelings.

Has she talked to her doctor or lawyer about advanced care directives? Does she have powers of attorney forms filled out for medical and financial decisions? If not, she should.

Does She Have Health Issues?

How is your mom’s health? Around 60% of Americans have one chronic health condition. About 40% have two or more. The most common chronic conditions are Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, COPD, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, and stroke.

If your mom has one or more chronic conditions, she may need help managing her daily routine. She might not remember to take her medications on time or remember if she’s already taken them or not.

Your mom may need to see her doctor more often than once a year. She may need to go for monthly checks. If she can’t drive, she’ll need someone available to accompany her to those appointments. Keeping track of her appointments may also be a challenge for her.

What happens if her mobility is limited? Is her home suitable for her needs still or would improvements need to be made? If she lives in a multi-level farmhouse, she might have a hard time getting to the upstairs bedrooms after a hip fracture or stroke.

You’d need to look at the possibility of moving a bedroom to the main level of the home. If there’s an emergency, she must be able to get out of the house safely. Setting her up for one-level living is best.

Do People Live Nearby?

Who lives closest to your mom? What is that person’s schedule like? If your mom needs someone to help her prepare meals and her family caregiver works a full-time job, it may be difficult to manage both.

If there are several of you within half an hour of your mom’s house, you could divide chores. One of you could stop by and cook meals while another family member visits on weekends to complete meal prep tasks and laundry.

You’re still going to need the help of a professional caregiver. Having someone available during the day to help your mom while you’re at work provides peace of mind.

Now that you have a list of questions, call a home care agency. Ask a specialist about area services and prices. From there, book the senior home care options that help your mom remain independent in her home.

If you or an aging loved-one is considering Home Care in Pasadena, CA please contact the caring staff at Nu Care Inc. today at. 800-505-6890

Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/infographic/chronic-diseases.htm