You aren’t alone if you woke up today feeling overwhelmed from caring for aging parents. Families of all descriptions struggle with managing the challenges of daily life that come with elder care responsibilities. There is no shame in lightening your load and making life better through the thoughtful inclusion of Life Care Planning.
Even for those who enjoy close relationships with aging parents, finding the right resources at the right time can be difficult. If meaningful conversation has become a struggle with your aging loved ones due to complicated relationships, cognitive decline, or health complications, it's time to call Life Care Planning services.
5 Ways Life Care Planning is the Right Strategy
Overwhelmed caregiver
Managing resources
Safety
Sibling struggles
Geography
1. Overwhelmed? Make the call to bring in a professional.
Women take on a disproportionate amount of caregiving for elderly parents. With the continuing increase of older Americans, it appears we truly can’t age without her (whoever that “she” may be in your family). The daughter who lives hundreds of miles away – or just a few houses down the street – can become overwhelmed by the seemingly impossible tasks that accompany caring for the elderly at home.
Does it seem like mom or dad always complain about canceled appointments, confusing telephone prompts, and insurance bills (or are they Explanation of Benefits (EOB) letters?) that keep piling up? Managing your family’s healthcare can be maddening – imagine dealing with the “convenience” of technology at 80, 85, or 90! An Elder Care Coordinator can ease the stress of communicating with healthcare providers to ensure fewer missed appointments and sort through the piles of EOBs to keep aging loved ones feeling more in control.
An energizing blend of neutral third-party and caring substitute daughter (or son), an Elder Care Coordinator comes in and makes quick work of providing relief and comfort to both the overloaded caregiver and aging parent. Life Care Planning for seniors is the embodiment of the encouraging statement “many hands make light work,” providing answers during a time of uncertainty. Having a support system can add years of independence to an aging loved one who can still manage fairly well at home.
2. Elder Care Coordinators find solutions through a variety of resources.
You don’t know what you don’t know. There is very little that can be done to prepare for the emotional, physical, and spiritual journey that consumes the aptly named sandwich generation. There are distinct differences between raising children and senior caregiving, and a caregiving daughter or son must bridge the knowledge gap – and quickly.
The Role of an Elder Care Coordinator
- Consult
- Assess
- Coordinate care
- Advocacy
An Elder Care Coordinator is well-networked with local senior care resources and continues to grow their base of providers every day. Caring for your parents is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for you; for the experienced Elder Care Coordinator, it’s all in a day’s work. The deep-down beauty of this life-changing relationship is that the knowledgeable Elder Care Coordinator appreciates that this is your unique experience and tailors care coordination and advocacy to your situation. They do this with an expertise that comes from the heart and grows through a specialized focus on issues associated with aging.
3. My dad doesn’t want to leave home – but is it safe?
Aging in place is a concern for both seniors and their adult children. Fear of falling, transportation, and the prevalence of senior scams also top the list of safety concerns when family caregivers discuss having the senior stay at home. Can a senior stay at home safely? Maybe – but as your Elder Care Coordinator will tell you, it’s going to take a village and careful care coordination.
Elder Care Coordinators can arrange for services that help keep families in the loop while respecting the independence and autonomy of senior clients. Private duty home care, routine mobile medical services such as primary care and occupational therapy, and regular visits from family and friends can help keep a senior at home safely – or at least put off a move to assisted living a little bit longer.
4. Not every adult sibling agrees – or is even involved – with mom and dad’s care.
Every family comes with its fair share of drama. Heightened emotions and past regrets find their way into every family meeting and complicate conversations during a crisis. With an Elder Care Coordinator, cooler heads can prevail, and conversations can be mediated through a neutral third party.
What about seniors without adult children? Whether adult children are non-existent, living far away, or not involved, seniors can receive the guidance they need through thoughtful Life Care Planning for elders. For neighbors and other non-family individuals who cared enough to step in and quickly got overcommitted – Life Care Planning is your new best friend!
5. Time and space become greater as we age.
What started as a short flight to visit the grandchildren becomes a seemingly impossible trip as age-related illness creeps in. It’s become more common for adult children to take jobs and put down roots in other states or countries. However, getting to aging parents in a crisis eventually becomes a reality. An experienced Elder Care Coordinator is a connector, keeping the family informed and supporting aging parents in real time.
If your parent experiences a fall or medical incident at home, the Elder Care Coordinator can be at the hospital. They can communicate for the senior and keep the family up to date. Save the time and frustration of making check-in calls that continually get misdirected or end up in a general voicemail box. Send your advocate in person, and let your loved one receive one-on-one attention from a professional that they come to know and trust like family (or better!).
Life Care Planning Saves Time and Money
There aren’t many resources to prepare us for the challenges of long-term care planning. And many of us only go down this road once or twice. It is hard to navigate the healthcare landscape and going it alone can result in lost time and money.
What Elder Care Coordinators can accomplish in just one hour will far exceed your expectations. Their familiarity with local senior resources, professionals, and care options makes them efficient and effective. Give them one day, and they will have you wondering how you struggled along without them for so long.
It’s All About Crisis Prevention
Crisis prevention is a worthy goal when caring for elderly parents, and Life Care Planning is step one. While financial and medical concerns are often the hallmarks of the Golden Years, holistic planning combining Elder Law and Life Care Planning offers peace of mind. Plan for the future with aging professionals who keep their well-being firmly in mind.
Knowledge of local senior resources and effective advocacy are two reasons Elder Law is a Resource We Love. Read more about including Life Care Planning with your estate plan in the Legal and Financial Section of our Blog.
