How to Start Long Term Care Planning for Seniors
If you have a parent or loved one who is getting older, you have probably started thinking about some kind of senior care. Many elderly people require a caregiver, whether that be a family member or a trained professional. Tons of people plan for retirement, but significantly less have a plan in place for senior care. Thinking about this can be overwhelming if you don’t know where to start. Here are some things to keep in mind as you begin to plan long term senior care.
Keep communication open
One of the most important parts of planning senior care is making sure that there is communication within the family. This can mean anything all of the siblings in a family discussing a plan for their parents to a senior reaching out to grandkids for help setting up a plan. As you discuss what you are going to do with your family, be realistic about your expectations. Know how much can be spent on senior home care or a nursing home. If a family member offers to be the primary caregiver for a loved one, make sure they have the support they need. Talking about challenges that might come up before they happen is a great way to prevent problems.
Stay organized
When setting up a plan, make sure you keep all documents in a safe place. With everything from bills to a will to senior home care research, there can be a lot of papers floating around. Staying organized from the start prevents you from losing things and becoming stressed later.
This is especially important when it comes to money. Create a budget so you know how much there is to spend from the start. That way if you start looking at senior care homes you already know what is within your price range. Some seniors may have money saved for their long term care, while others do not. Be aware of what’s available from the beginning, and keep documents neat so it’s easy for many family members to understand them.
Share the work
No one person should be the sole caregiver for an aging parent or grandparent if at all possible. Even if someone is doing most of the personal care duties, make sure that there are others who check in with them to make sure they don’t get overwhelmed and burn out. Reach out to siblings and cousins for help from the beginning of planning. That way no one will feel like they were dragged into helping at the last minute, causing them to do it more out of obligation than anything.
Another part of sharing the work is asking for help when you need it. This starts in the planning process. If you don’t know what a long term care plan should look like, ask someone who does. If there isn’t a family member who can act as a caregiver, consider seeking professional help for senior home care. It’s better to have many people contributing so that no one person gets bogged down under burnout and caregiver guilt.
Need help planning long term senior care?
Whether you are making a senior care plan for a loved one or for yourself, it is best to get help from people who really know what they are doing. A Better Solution in Home Care offers care management, senior home care, and resident placement services. They can provide information and education, connect you to community resources, set you up with a professional caregiver, and more. Call +1 (877) 585-9011 or visit them online to learn more.
