Do you have an elderly parent, friend, or relative that wants to keep their independence but who may need a little help from time to time? Finding that balance between showing compassion and respecting their independent spirit is difficult – but not impossible. Luckily, you have a few options when caring for loved ones that won’t intrude too much on their independence.
Talking, Listening, Planning
Rather than take it upon yourself to contact a nursing home or home care provider, sit down with your loved one and others involved first to discuss all options available. Depending on the level of care needed, you may consider hiring someone to clean, go grocery shopping, pick up dry cleaning, and run other errands. Home care providers do that and provide transportation to doctor appointments and other places your loved one may want to go during the day. Home care nurses can ensure elderly patients take their medications, assist with bathing, and provide companionship.
Listening to concerns people have about elder care shows that you understand the importance of remaining as independent as possible. Some elderly people really welcome help, others do not. Once you understand how your loved one feels, then you can plan ways to provide care around their lifestyle. You can learn more about how to handle making the move here.
Home Care Options
Three home care options that allow a person to live at home include:
Home companions – spend time with elderly people by participating in hobbies, watching television, preparing meals, playing games, and conversing. Home companions become more like friends over time. Companions may also provide transportation to appointments and social events.
Home health care providers – may or may not be licensed nurses depending on level of care required. Like home companions, home health care providers socialize with patients, monitor medications, converse with doctors, and keep you informed of ongoing medical needs.
Elder care errand/transportation services – If your loved one has an active social life, does not need medication monitoring, but can no longer drive or doesn’t feel comfortable driving, an errand/transportation service may be the best solution.
Elder daycare, part-time nursing care, and monitoring systems that allow you to see what’s going on in your loved ones home via cameras are additional options but may cause a person to feel less independent.
Advanced Nursing Care
Preparing a person who has lived on their own for admittance into a nursing home is challenging, but necessary, especially if you notice significant memory loss, if the person injures themselves, or they become depressed for a prolonged period. Choose a home that provides the appropriate level of care. Some homes allow people to live in private apartments with minimal staff monitoring, while others provide rooms with round-the-clock nursing care.
Bring your loved one with you when touring the home. Take a tour, stay for a meal, and talk with the staff and other patients to get a real feel for the place. Talk to other family members to see how satisfied they are. Some nursing homes allow patients to stay for a trial period (usually three days to a week) – take advantage of this to see if the home is a good fit. According to Senior Care Management Solutions, it’s also a good idea to ask questions about different customizable plans and options so you know exactly what is available for your loved one.
Balancing Compassion and Independence
Caring for elderly people isn’t an easy undertaking, especially if the person wants to remain at home but just can’t do it mentally or physically without some assistance. And while you want to make sure your loved one is safe, happy, and secure, your good intentions may be viewed as controlling. Keeping people involved in the decision making process can help reduce feelings of resentment or anger. Remember that while most people know when they need help as they age, facing this reality and giving up some control over their lives is embarrassing, which may lead to feelings of helplessness and fear. Visit this article to learn more about how to deal with balancing compassion and independence.
Resources:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/13/health/13patient.html?_r=0
http://seniorhealth.about.com/od/eldercare/a/home_care_opt.htm
