NURSING
HOME SITE
- ADULT RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES SITE
The
Problems of Elder Care
By Jo Nelson
As
baby boomers watch the years fly by, one of their biggest concerns
is sorting through the many problems of caring for their elderly
parents. When is it no longer safe for our elderly parent to stay
home alone? How can we maintain our jobs, our home, our children,
and care for our parents all at the same time? What resources are
available to help? How do we approach the subject with them? How
can we help them keep their independence and dignity? How do we
deal with the stress of it all?
As
our parents age, we need to stay diligent and aware of changes in
their mental orientation and ability to care for themselves. Are
they just a little forgetful at times, or is it something more worrisome
than that? If they are able to take their medications without being
reminded, bathe alone, dress without assistance, prepare meals every
day, and they are not experiencing frequent falls or sudden illnesses,
they are probably safe to be at home alone. There are monitoring
systems and personal emergency alert systems that can provide added
security by making help available to them in the event of an accident
or sudden illness.
However,
if you notice that your parent's health is declining, that they
have increased weakness or weight loss, if they have had frequent
falls, if they are not taking their medications, not eating properly,
and not able to do their personal care without help, it may be time
to look into other options. Sometimes the increased care is all
they need to regain their strength and be able to continue living
at home, avoiding placement in a nursing facility or some other
major life change.
Finding
the help you need is another obstacle. Knowing who to go to for
help may seem to be an overwhelming task, but there are many resources
available to seek information and counsel. Private duty organizations,
home health agencies, and hospices are all viable places to start
if you want to help your parent stay at home.
The
Indiana Association for Home Care and Hospice (IAHHC) has a listing
of all local agencies, both for private pay and agencies that accept
Medicare and/or insurance payor sources. You can find them on their
web site: www.ind-homecare.org.
When
investigating which private agency to use, make sure they are licensed
appropriately and that they do criminal background checks on all
their employees. Their staff should be bonded and insured, and you
should not have any of the burden for carrying worker's compensation,
tax liabilities, or social security. A new law beginning in January
of 2006 requires all private duty, non-medical services to be licensed
through the state of Indiana. Make sure the agency you choose has
gone through this licensing process, and you will be safer in trusting
that they have taken all the appropriate steps in ensuring good
care for your loved one.
There
are many financial resources available to help pay for private duty
care, such as reverse home mortgages. Look on the web for more information
regarding financial concerns; there's plenty of information available.
You can also contact private duty agencies and request assistance
in finding funds that are available.
Private
duty agencies can provide any kind of non-medical care needed to
assist the client in staying at home. They will provide personal
care assistance, medication reminders, cleaning, cooking, laundry,
running errands, and transportation to appointments, and a variety
of other services. They are usually available twenty four hours
a day, including holidays and week ends, and do not require any
doctor's orders to initiate the care.
Home
health care requires a doctor's order for services to begin, and
the patient must be certified to be on "home bound status".
This means that they can only leave home to visit the doctor, go
to church, or to the beauty or barber shop. A nurse will visit on
a regular basis, and a home health aide will assist with personal
care. Some home health agencies also provide physical therapy, social
services, speech therapy, and occupational therapy as well. Most
home health care agencies are not available in the evening hours,
on week ends, or on holidays. The majority of home health agencies
accept insurance and Medicare payments.
Hospice
care also requires a doctor's order, and the patient must have a
life-limiting disease with expectations of six months or less to
live. Patients can be re-certified for hospice every sixty days,
and may live much longer than six months and still be in hospice
care. Hospice care also provides nursing and home health aide services,
along with extra support to the family and patient during this difficult
time. Comfort measures are a priority in the plan of care, and they
have a variety of services such as social services, pastoral care,
and volunteer services as well. Medicare and insurance usually are
accepted. There will always be a hospice nurse on call twenty four
hours a day to assist with any emergencies or special problems during
times when the office is closed.
Sometimes
the best plan is a combination of home health or hospice along with
private duty care. Many seniors are resistant to accepting any kind
of help at first, and will require continual reassurance effort
to help them maintain as much independence as possible.
When
addressing these issues, never "speak down" to your loved
one. Remember, even though roles are changing, they still deserve
to be honored and respected. Sometimes calling a care giver "the
maid" or "the butler" rather than a "caregiver"
or "home health aide" will help them accept the situation
with a little less anxiety. It's all in the attitude that it's presented
to them - help them feel a sense of control in the situation whenever
possible. Try to help them understand that these changes are happening
in their home because you love them and want them to be able to
stay at home as long as possible and not have to live in a facility
to get the help they need.
Don't
forget to schedule time for yourself during this intensely demanding
season of your life. By succumbing to false guilt or unreasonable
demands, you may be setting yourself up for a disaster later. Take
time to enjoy your immediate family, your hobbies, and leisure time
as well. Join in with other caregiver groups for extra support -
you can find them at churches or on the web. You'll be safeguarding
your own ability to handle this long term role as a caregiver with
a healthy mind, body, and spirit.
Jo
Nelson is a registered nurse and co-owner of Servant's Heart Homemaker
Services located in Logansport. Servant's Heart provides companion
services for the elderly in their homes. For more information contact
Jo at servantsheartservices@yahoo.com or call 574-739-1776.)
