Archive for the ‘aging parents’ Category

Caring For a Senior Family Member at Home

Monday, May 31st, 2010

Taking care of a loved one at home after a major illness or surgery can be an overwhelming task both physically and mentally. The responsibilities are challenging for both the one being cared for and those taking the lead for the primary care. In some cases the recovering family member may have some reservations and an unwillingness to ask their son or daughter to give up a job to care for them. In these cases, having professional home care Chapel Hill, NC can help in easing the patients concerns and allow both family members and the one being cared for with more quality time together.

In almost all cases, there are going to be reasons that your loved one may not want to consider the option of in-home health care. Therefore, it is important before relying on home care Durham NC to provide part or full responsibilities for the patients care to listen to your loved one’s concerns. Take time to note what they may be worried about and go over these during interviews while searching for just the right care service.

One of the first arguments you may hear is that your loved one doesn’t believe they need help. So, in these cases while discussing senior care Chapel Hill NC that you let your loved one know having outside help is more for your peace of mind- which in almost all situations is the reason for seeking care. Taking care of our loved ones isn’t about physically being there 24/7 but knowing that when we can’t be there someone competent and committed to their wellbeing will be but without taking away their feelings of independence.

Home care not only provides in-home medical care but can also take on some of the errands outside of the home, if the recovering loved one is a bit apprehensive about a new person in the house. As the care worker becomes more familiar to the loved one, trust and friendship is gained and can facilitate a working relationship that benefits both the patient and the family.

While recovering at home, most physicians strongly suggest that the family employ outside assistance. Therefore, if there may be other reasons that the patient balks at this kind of service, the family can simply counter that argument with the physician’s release orders from the hospital. Usually this will end the resistance and facilitate the transition from hospital to home care, in Durham, Clayton, or Chapel Hill NC.

At one time or another, most families will face taking care of a loved one, whether that be during recovery or for end of life care. And there are no easy answers or ways to ease all the burdens placed on those family members. These people are trained in medical or physical care as well as dealing with the inevitable emotional strains. The one saving grace is that there are people trained and ready to take some of the responsibilities from the family and allow everyone to be more at ease with the situation. Today, with these advances in care, many families are able to care for loved ones at home, where both the patient and the family are most at ease.

Written by Jenny Heart. Quality home care Durham NC: Receive senior care Chapel Hill NC, alzheimer’s and elder care through home care Chapel Hill NC, Clayton, Raleigh, Cary, Wake Forest.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jenny_Heart

Why In-Home Care May be Right for You in Indianapolis, Indiana

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

Why In-Home Care May be Right for You

I found a great article that talks about the many positive aspects regarding the use of In-Home Care for an aging loved one.

PreNeed (Pre-Paid) Funeral and Burial Plans in Indianapolis, Indiana

Saturday, October 3rd, 2009

Advantages and Disadvantages of Prepaid Plans One way to plan in advance for the end of one’s life is to sign a formal contract called a “preneed funeral plan.” With this plan, money to pay for a funeral and/or burial is held in a trust, in an escrow account or paid through an insurance policy on the life of the person desiring the plan. Parts of or all of the funeral service and burial are designed in advance and pre-funded in advance and the family has little to do but show up.

This type of planning has become very popular in recent years. A survey conducted by the AARP in 1999, found that two out of five people over age 50 had been approached to pre-purchase funerals and burial goods and services. An AARP survey in 1998 indicates that 32% of all Americans over age 50, roughly 21 million people, have prepaid some or all of their funeral and or burial expenses (but not necessarily through a formal preneed plan). Breaking that down; about 25% of the over age 50 population have prepaid for their burials (cemetery plot, mausoleum or niche), 18% have prepaid for headstones, urns, caskets , grave liners or vaults, opening and closing of graves and so on and 13% have prepaid for goods or services from a funeral home or funeral director. The same survey indicates that over $25 billion is being held in preneed trust funds. Roughly another $25 billion is waiting to be paid out in life insurance benefits. Prepaid or preneed funerals and burials are big business.

Funerals and burials funded privately by the family, or paid from an individual life insurance policy and arranged informally through a funeral home or funeral director are generally not subject to state regulation. Any formal arrangement through a second party or involving a contract is subject to regulation in all states. Each state has adopted different rules as to who can sell these plans, what the plans can provide, what contract provisions must be, how the plan is to be funded and what recourse purchasers might have in the event of fraud or default. All states call these regulated plans “preneed” funeral and burial arrangements.

Here are some advantages as to why one would want to buy a preneed plan for funeral and burial services and goods.

  • It provides peace of mind knowing these arrangements have been made in advance.
  • It avoids the burden on family members to make decisions when they are most vulnerable to manipulation.
  • It allows one to virtually control from the grave by determining in advance the funeral products, funeral services, burial products and burial services that one would prefer having for final arrangements.
  • It helps the family to avoid taking loans, arranging finance plans, raiding savings or selling assets to pay for a funeral and burial.
  • It guarantees (for many contracts) that if products and services currently purchased are not available in the future, equivalent substitutes will be provided at no additional cost.
  • It locks in guaranteed prices (available with some contracts) forever.
  • It allows for inflation in future costs (for those contracts that do not guarantee prices) by investing money in an interest-bearing account or buying life insurance that increases in value over time.
  • Depending on the contract, it may allow for transfer to another funeral home or for partial or full refund.

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Indianapolis, Indiana Baby Boomers are Caring for Parents and Children

Friday, September 18th, 2009

Here is a great article for those who are caring for aging parents from www.Agingcare.com.

When Should Indianapolis, Indiana Seniors Stop Driving?

Friday, September 4th, 2009

Here is a great article for anyone who is facing that very difficult conversation with an aging loved one, that it may be time to stop driving.

Millions facing shrinking Social Security payments

Monday, August 24th, 2009

Seniors will have an even tougher time when Social Security benefits are reduced next year.

The Cold Hard Truth

Friday, August 14th, 2009

Recently I was helping a lovely family that never expected to encounter what they did.

Family Reunion – A Good Time for Future Planning

Tuesday, August 4th, 2009

Summertime brings a lot of family time. With family reunions, picnics, weddings and other events, long distant family members travel to gather together. It is also the perfect time to do some planning for the future. With parents aging and their health and lifestyles changing, children need to discuss some changes and decisions that will be needed in the near future. Parents should take the time to tell their children where important documents are kept and what their wishes are in the event of needing health care directives or experiencing long term care needs.

For those children who live away, the change they see in their parent’s health and mental capacity may be alarming — whereas siblings that have daily contact are working with these issues constantly. Here is the chance to compare notes and work together as a complete family in the long term care planning process.

For you parents who are well and active, this is a good time to hold a family meeting and share with your children your plan for long term care. Tell them where financial and legal documents are located or use our Legal and Financial Organizer. Review health care directives, living wills and long term care alternatives.

Experience has shown that even families that are close can quickly grow angry, jealous and hostile towards each other when an aging parent begins to need long term care. If a sibling moves into the parent’s home, others can easily be suspicious of ulterior motives and fear losing their inheritance. On the other hand, the child providing the elder care becomes bitter and feels there is no support or help from siblings. Developing a plan, before senior care becomes needed avoids these types of conflicts.

It can be helpful to have the meeting led by an impartial party, such as Aging Avenues who has experience with elder care issues. This helps put everyone on neutral ground. Aging Avenues can guide you through planning for the worst and how to try to prevent it, as well as what’s realistic in terms of care. Aging Avenues can offer you referrals to our network of Preferred Providers to assist you with everything from legal to choosing a facility. Having an impartial party is also ideal when family members don’t agree on the level of care needed.

Once you have agreed on a plan be sure to get everyone involved commitment to make it happen. This should help avoid someone forgetting what they agreed to do. Everyone has their specialty so if family members are out of town they can contribute by making necessary phone calls and the like There are many on-line sources that can keep distance family members involved. You can find them under Caregiver Support on our website www.agingavenues.com.

If you weren’t able to discuss what your loved one’s wishes were in advance but you need to react to a critical situation, Aging Avenues can help you make those choices quickly, without hours of searching and research. Our experience in the senior care industry gives you the valuable insight to make a sound decision and have peace of mind.

Indianapolis, Indiana Families Plan for Eldercare

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

Family Reunion–a Good Time for Family Planning

Summertime brings a lot of family time. With family reunions, picnics, weddings and other events, long distant family members travel to gather together. It is also the perfect time to do some planning for the future. With parents aging and their health and lifestyles changing, children need to discuss some changes and decisions that will be needed in the near future. Parents should take the time to tell their children where important documents are kept and what their wishes are in the event of needing health care directives or experiencing long term care needs.

For those children who live away, the change they see in their parent’s health and mental capacity may be alarming — whereas siblings that have daily contact are working with these issues constantly. Here is the chance to compare notes and work together as a complete family in the long term care planning process.

For you parents who are well and active, this is a good time to hold a family meeting and share with your children your plan for long term care. Tell them where financial and legal documents are located. Review health care directives, living wills and long term care alternatives.

(more…)

Alzheimer's Care Facilities Explained in Indianapolis, Indiana

Friday, July 10th, 2009

Here is a great article for anyone in need of Alzheimer’s care for an aging loved one.