Posts Tagged ‘aging parents’

Making the Home Safer for the Senior Resident

Thursday, July 25th, 2013

Many older people require the assistance with daily needs and safe environment that are found in an assisted living facility. Others prefer to age in place, bringing health care assistants into the home. In these cases, changes may also be needed to make the home safer for the senior resident.

Seniors may have trouble moving about or be at risk for falling. Improvements can be made to the home to make life easier, but older people or their adult children may not be aware of what changes can or should be made. An occupational therapist can be of great service, with some specializing in performing an analysis of the home environment and producing a detailed improvement plan that a contractor can follow.
There are some simple and inexpensive changes that can be made, such as installing brighter light bulbs and removing rugs that may cause slipping. More extensive safety features that may need to be installed can include grab-bars for walking assistance or an electric stair lift to get from one level to another easily and safely. Seniors may also need for the height of chairs to be increased slightly to make them easier to get in and out of.

When it comes to paying for such improvements, long-term care insurance can help. If you have such a policy, and it covers home improvements, then hiring an occupational therapist can help in demonstrating that the changes are necessary for the resident’s health. A reverse mortgage or home equity loan can also help pay for safety improvements, but consult with a financial adviser before taking out such financing.

 

For more information about our legal services for seniors, visit www.elderlawnewyork.com

Caring for Aging Parents Can Take a Village

Tuesday, October 2nd, 2012

According to Carol Bradley Bursack, author of “Minding Our Elders,” there is a lot to be said for routine. What many would consider one’s daily, mundane habits may also be the very thing that lets you know when one a loved ones needs assistance.

As the population ages and society continues to foster long-distance family relationships, it is uncommon for the adult children of elderly parents to live close by. If an elderly parent is in declining health and lives on his or her own, and the adult child lives an hour or more away, that adult child is considered a ” long-distance caregiver.” And when the only caregiver is far away, it often falls to everyday acquaintances – the bank teller, the dentist, the letter carrier – to notice when something is amiss. Those people, says Bursack, can become part of a long-distance caregiver’s community care network.

Bursack has strategy tips for how to develop community help for long-distance caregivers, including reaching out to regular delivery people, such as letter carriers, newspaper delivery people, and supermarket carriers. They can be asked to make contact if they note that newspapers are piling up or mail is uncollected. The same can be asked of service providers such as landscapers or house cleaners. There are also individuals that can be recruited who are trained to keep an eye on things, such as a visiting nurse or meal delivery person.

Linda Rhodes, author of “The Essential Guide to Caring for Aging Parents,” also suggests engaging the local community. She advises long-distance caregivers to exchange phone numbers with a parent’s neighbor. She also advises touching base with the parent’s local house of worship, and tapping into the volunteer community there to have someone do well visits.

Set up a phone tree. Share phone call days with other relatives, and have a strictly adhered-to schedule. If a caller cannot get hold of the parent or does not get a call returned, make certain the information is shared and can be followed up.

Consider the latest in technology – Skype and Facetime both allow virtual face-to-face interaction. Personal response systems can be placed in the home or even worn around the neck or wrist.  Motion-sensing systems can alert a monitor to a lack of movement in the home, and send an alert via computer or to a call center.

For more information about elder law, visit our website at www.elderlawnewyork.com.