Do You Know Your Parents' Wishes When It Comes to Long-Term Care?
November 27, 2018
People dream of buying a house and staying in that house for a lifetime. It's likely your parents feel the same way. They might downsize after the kids move out and start their own lives, but there's always that home where retirement plans are imagined.
Caregiver in Saratoga CA: Long-Term Care Planning
If something happens, can your parents stay in the home they own now? People don't like to think of the “what ifs,” but it's important. Without help, your parents could struggle with home management and personal care. That's where long-term care comes in.
What Can Long-Term Care Help With?
Long-term care aids seniors in many ways. If your parents can no longer drive, caregivers can take them to appointments, stores, restaurants, and other local businesses. If your parents need help remembering to take medications, that's an option. Housekeeping, laundry, and linen changeovers are also a typical service.
Meal preparation services are important to many seniors. Chopping meats and vegetables may become too hard if arthritis sets in. Standing at a hot stove may be too much. Carrying a hot pan is also a problem for some seniors. Caregivers can help with all of that.
Things Your Parents Want to Consider.
Your parents may not find the thought of a stranger helping them to be appealing. They may try to hide weaknesses from you. This is common. They need to stop and think about what would happen if they tried to go without any help.
Anything can happen tomorrow, a week from now, or even a year from now. Your dad could be perfectly healthy and slip on ice. A broken hip takes time to heal. In that time, it may be too much for your mom to help him in and out of bed, a shower, or off of a sofa.
Your mom has a stroke. No one saw it coming, so the family is shocked. As she recovers, she's going to need meals prepared for her. She needs rides to her therapy appointments and doctor's visits. She'll need help getting up and down stairs and in and out of the bed and bathtub.
Talk to your mom and dad about their long-term care preferences. They might want you to help out. They may not want to be a burden and want home care services from caregivers. Make sure you talk about all of the options including how much caregivers cost and what services are available in your area.