Healthy, Happy and Far Away: Advice for Long-Distance Caregivers
September 28th, 2018Alzheimer's Care, Caregiver Service, Dementia Care, Elderly Care, House Cleaning, In Home Care, Long Term Care, Senior Care Services,
If you live far away from an aging parent, you may have gone years without worrying about your father or mother getting to medical appointments, the grocery, or maintaining an active social life. However, with age may come a lack of mobility, forgetfulness, or isolation, and a once self-sufficient parent is suddenly incapable of doing all those things you’ve taken for granted. Seemingly overnight, you’ve become a long-distance caregiver with a very big job of coordinating a whole lot of needs and activities.
Now, you have to determine whether your loved one requires skilled medical care, assistance with daily activities, transportation to medical appointments, companionship, or in-home mobility modifications. It’s a lot to work out, and if the answer to one or more of these scenarios is “yes,” it’ll probably require a trip and a lot of research.
Medicare Supplement
Senior care can be very expensive. Adding a Medicare supplement plan is a good idea because it can help cover expenses that health insurance will not. Benefits may include anything from prescriptions to vision and dental care, based on the plan in which your parent is enrolled. Be aware that the Medicare open enrollment period begins October 15 and ends December 7, so the sooner you can help your parent research options, the better prepared you’ll be if the need arises.
Finding Support
This is an excellent time to enlist the aid of any friends or family members who live near your parent. If that’s not a possibility, consider introducing yourself to your parent’s neighbors in case an emergency intervention is necessary. Hopefully, the neighbors will be willing and able to help with transportation, errands, and other ad hoc needs that will likely arise. Find out as much as possible about in-home health aides, or check out the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Carelike community resource finder, a free service that can help you identify services anywhere in the US (some senior care services are free and have no income requirements).
Caregiver Support Resources
Trying to carry on with so many new responsibilities can be overwhelming, especially when you live a long plane flight away. Your parent’s care needs could change at any time, so it’s important to know what to do if you have to find home care or companion services or a geriatric care manager. Do some research about local adult day cares, as well as assisted living and long-term care nursing facilities. Be prepared for the unexpected with a personal emergency response plan.
Monitoring
According to the National Institute on Aging, there are approximately 7 million long-distance caregivers in the US. If your parent has a special medical condition or is experiencing a mental or physical decline, a senior monitoring system provides the technology necessary to keep track of your parent and maintain peace of mind. Monitoring technology can keep you apprised of your parent’s health status, location, safety, and health. It can also keep medical care professionals apprised of the situation and increase response times if something goes wrong.
Emergencies
If an emergency does occur, you’ll need to have documentation that allows you to respond in a timely fashion. Also, make sure you have copies of your loved one’s medical records (don’t forget to include the names of doctors and other health care providers), proof of power of attorney, advanced medical directives, a living will, and anything you might need in case you have to travel on short notice.
If you’re a long-distance caregiver, information is a powerful asset because your parent’s care needs could change very quickly. Knowing where to turn in their community is essential because speed is of the essence when the need arises unexpectedly.
Credit: June Duncan for Polish Care Services https://polishcareservices.com
Self-Care Tips For Caregivers: How To Feel Better
August 17th, 2018Alzheimer's Care, Caregiver Service, Dementia Care, Elderly Care, House Cleaning, Janitorial Service, Long Term Care, Office Cleaning, Polish Care Services Trademark, Senior Care Services,
Self-care is incredibly important for all of us; it reduces stress and anxiety, helps with fatigue and health issues, and allows us to focus on our needs in order to heal emotionally, mentally, or physically. It can be difficult to carve time out of our busy schedules to do so, however, and when you’re a caregiver, looking after your own needs can bring on feelings of guilt. Caregivers often put themselves last on their list of priorities, and unfortunately, this can lead to burnout, exhaustion, and even substance abuse.
The good news is that taking care of yourself doesn’t have to be time consuming or lead to feelings of guilt or selfishness. Finding small ways to make yourself feel good and stay healthy is easy when you know where to begin, and usually, it starts at home. Create a relaxing space that will help you feel better after a long day and reduce stress, and set aside time to do things you enjoy, such as reading or gardening.
Keep reading for more great tips on how to practice self-care when you’re a caregiver.
Keep your finances in order
Many caregivers draw from their own finances to take care of a loved one, and it can be a huge drain on your savings to continue doing so, which can lead to stress and anxiety. Keep a close eye on your finances, set a budget for both of you, and look for ways you can save money by applying for grants for home modifications and medical equipment. Look online to see what you might qualify for; you can start here.
Take a time-out
Taking the time to get away from the stress you face every day is important, and it doesn’t require a vacation; you can take a little time-out whenever you feel overwhelmed simply by finding something that relaxes you and committing to it. Whether it’s a long, hot bath, sitting down with a cup of tea or coffee, or going out in the garden to putter for a few minutes, having a go-to stress reliever will help you feel in control and will allow you to combat emotional and mental fatigue.
Find healthy ways to cope
Many caregivers find that it’s difficult to deal with the stress of taking care of a loved one every day and turn to substances for a reprieve. It’s essential that you learn how to cope with those feelings of stress in a healthy way so that they don’t overwhelm you, because relying too much on alcohol or other dangerous substances will only lead to more issues. Find a support group so you can talk to people who understand what you’re going through, or consider taking up art therapy to help you release feelings of stress and tension.
Stay connected
Taking care of someone else’s needs for 24 hours a day can lead to feelings of isolation, so it’s imperative that you stay connected with your loved ones and friends. If you’re unable to go far, set up a Skype account so you can stay in touch with the people you enjoy spending time with, and make arrangements for video calls that will allow you to see them.
As a caregiver, you have a very large responsibility, and it can easily become overwhelming physically, mentally, and emotionally. Take care of yourself and make your health a priority; exercise daily to keep up your strength, and eat well-balanced meals. Learn how to focus on your own needs so you won’t suffer burnout.
Credit: June Duncan for Polish Care Services https://polishcareservices.com
Polish Care Services Trademark
July 22nd, 2018Alzheimer's Care, Caregiver Service, Dementia Care, Elderly Care, House Cleaning, Janitorial Service, Long Term Care, Office Cleaning, Polish Care Services Trademark, Senior Care Services,
Polish Care Services was grated the trademark from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for cleaning and caregiving services. As a company that genuinely cares about our clients and what we do, this is one more effort to let us stand out as a Polish European and American company that sets high standards not only in quality of work and care, but also customer service. Thank you to all our customers, employees and those who have supported us throughout the years.
