Sometimes people have the opportunity to prepare in advance for someone's declining health. Other times people delay putting anything into action because they seem certain that they have "more time". Even if you think you have adequately prepared yourself to care for a loved one, the reality of the situation may absolutely overwhelm you when it happens. All of a sudden there are so many things to consider like the person's medical history, personality and financial resources. The list certainly seems endless. Before you become completely overwhelmed with this responsibility, we have some very important suggestions for you to consider.
Collect your thoughts. You may think that this is impossible to do, but it is imperative that you learn how to take care of yourself so you can take care of your loved one. Stop and learn how to help yourself first. This is the most important advice anyone could give you.
Keep your loved one's personal data handy. Before you know it, you will be asked to provide your loved one's date of birth, social security number, and any other pertinent numbers. Try to get his/her complete health history, copies of health insurance policies and health insurance cards, phone numbers of the senior's doctors and pharmacist, list of medications and instructions and the dates and results of the senior's last doctor's visit. Keep this information handy and make copies for other family members. Make sure everyone involved knows where to obtain specific information like financial and legal documents. If applicable, make sure your family has keys to his/her house.
Solicit help from rest of your family. Get as many of your family members involved as soon as possible. The earlier you get everyone involved, the better off you will be. Develop a game plan to research your loved one's situation. Perhaps you can even get different individuals to contact different associations and organizations for information about your loved one's medical condition.
Research health insurance and financial matters. The financial aspects of someone's long term care can be very, very complicated. Do they have a pension, a long-term care policy or a pension or retirement plan? Does he/she qualify for Medicare or Medicaid? Does he/she have any assets, stocks and bonds, social security income, etc.? Start investigating this as soon as possible so you completely understand what you are dealing with.
Determine your loved one's needs. Again, learn as much as you can about your loved one's medical condition and his/her specific lifestyle limitations. Does your loved one just need an adult day care or would his/her needs be better met with an assisted living residence? If this situation is only a short-term crisis, start obtaining information about different local facilities now. The sooner you get started, the better off you will be.
Communicate with as many people as possible. Talk to your loved one and encourage them to offer as much input into the various decision-making processes as they are capable of making. It is imperative that they remain as independent as they possible can. Talk to anyone who has any experience caring for a loved one. Talk to medical professionals that have experience dealing with your loved one's condition. It is a very good idea to have a general idea what to expect in the future. Also, do not forget to take good notes!
Click Here to return to (FAQ INDEX) http://saterihomeinc.com
Click Here to return to (HOME PAGE) http://boardmanmedicalsupply.com