Being together during the holidays is a great time to catch up and an ideal time to have discussions about making a long-term care plan with elderly parents. Having an honest and open discussion around care needs, home modifications and finances is very important to help meet the wishes of senior loved ones.
At-Home Care Company, a trusted provider of in home senior care in Waukee, IA and surrounding areas, has put together some important questions for you to cover during your discussion:
- Would you like to continue to live at home as you get older, or consider a move elsewhere? Nearly all older adults prefer to remain at home throughout aging over a move to a nursing home or assisted living facility, or moving in with adult children. Should this be the case with your parents, consider any changes which need to happen to enable that desire to become a reality: home modifications and the overall layout of the home, along with a strategy for support if a chronic illness, disability, or simply the challenges of aging make it hard to stay safe and independent.
- What community services, amenities, and organizations would you like to continue to access? Naturally, your parents will need to be able to get groceries as well as other essential supplies and keep up with medical appointments and procedures, but find out what else may be important to them as they grow older, such as attending religious services, nail and/or hair salon appointments, sporting events, visits with neighbors and friends, etc. How will they carry on with these activities and tasks if they become unable to drive?
- How will the price for any long-term care needs be covered? Personal finances are frequently a sensitive matter to broach with your aging parents, but it’s crucial to make sure that a plan is in place to meet future needs. If it hasn’t been done already, now is the ideal time to make sure your parents have selected a power of attorney and met with a financial planner who can review savings, investments, retirement funds, insurance, estate planning, etc. and develop a plan to cover any prospective expenses linked to aging care.
- Who is within your network of support? It is a smart idea to come up with a list of your parents’ close friends, neighbors, and other members of the family who are available to provide assistance in the event of an unexpected emergency or simply as your parents’ abilities change through aging. Prioritize the list in the order your parents would like them to be contacted if a need occurs, and then share the list with anybody who might have the need to reach out to them (including those on the list themselves).
As the leading in-home care provider in Waukee and the surrounding areas, we work with seniors and their families as they plan for long-term care needs. Because our home care services are highly individualized, we can begin providing assistance in only a couple of areas, for only a few hours weekly, and then add in additional support over time, if needed.
Contact our aging care experts at 515-292-2650 for the trusted support your senior parents need to remain safe and secure, comfortable, and thriving at home for a lifetime. We’re always available to answer any questions you might have about our compassionate and trusted senior care in Waukee and surrounding areas. Reach out to us today to schedule a no-cost in-home consultation and learn more about how we can assist.