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News & Articles of
Interest
Long
Distance Caregiving
By Cynthia Ballentine, MSOT, OTR/L
In
today's world more and more families seem to be living further and
further apart. It could be for many reasons like following career
opportunities or retiring to a dream location. Whatever the reasons,
trying to care for a frail or declining parent long distance can be a
very trying and stressful situation. Having the parent to be nearer or
even to move in with the caregiver may seem like an easy solution.
However, a good deal of consideration should be given to the
consequences of such a move. The move for the older person can be very
traumatic because they give up familiar people, places and environments.
As the caregiver it can be very disruptive to have a parent move in
especially if there is not adequate help or support for the caregiver.
The
following are some basic tips to consider as a long distance caregiver:
-
Think
about all the options before relocating your relative. In-home
services may allow them to stay in their home, around familiar
places and people.
-
If
you haven't visited recently, do so as soon as possible. Be
aware of possible problem areas such as nutrition, home safety,
driving safety, medications, finances and physical or emotional
decline.
-
Make
sure legal and financial affairs are in place and up to date.
You need to know where and how to locate critical documents and
papers.
-
It
is helpful to have the following information about your loved one on
hand:
-
Date
of birth
-
Social
security number
-
Medicare
and/or Medicaid number
-
Health
insurance information
-
Lists
of any medications they are taking and any allergies
-
Names,
addresses, and telephone numbers of doctors, hospitals, and
clinics involved in their medical care
-
Copies
of a living will and power of attorney ·
-
Set
up a system of support if necessary for your family member's safety.
It can either be a friend or neighbor that regularly checks in on
the older adult or someone hired to provide assistance.
-
Identify
and accept your own limits. As your older loved one's care needs
increase you may become overwhelmed. Consider hiring a geriatric
care manager to coordinate your family member's care.
-
Plan
ahead to have family leave or personal days available in case you
need to make an unexpected visit to your relative. Put aside
money in a special fund to pay for such trips.
St.
Andrew's at Home Services can assist with your geriatric care management
and in home service needs. Please contact us at 314-726-5766.
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Did You Know?
It is important to get plenty of sleep, adequate nutrition and of course
exercise but energy is more than physical .
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