A Guide To Caring For Elderly Parents | Independent Living Aging Adults

You may start noticing changes in your parent as they get older. They start to require your help because they no longer can do things they used to. The best help you can offer to your loved one is to be their support system. Watching yourself age and lose your independence is not an easy thing to go through alone. You can be there for your elderly loved ones by understanding what they will need assistance with as they age.

Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)

Your loved one’s activities of daily living are essential to their physical and emotional well-being. You need to find the appropriate help if your elderly parent can no longer do the following ADLs:

• Self-feeding
• Functional mobility (moving in and out of bed, sitting down and standing back up, drinking water, etc.)
• Dressing
• Bathing or showering
• Personal hygiene (brushing, shaving, grooming activities)
• Toilet hygiene (self-cleaning, getting on and off the toilet)

Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs)

IADLs are not fundamental needs of life but are necessary activities for independent functioning. If your loved one can no longer be self-reliant, they may need assistance with the following:

• Cooking and preparing meals
• Cleaning and maintaining the home
• Running errands
• Shopping and purchasing necessities
• Managing finances and paying bills
• Communicating on the phone or other devices
• Taking prescribed medication

Living Arrangements for Independent Living Aging Adults

If your loved one needs care, you need to figure out where this care is going to take place. Is it suitable for them to still live in their home and receive care? Or, would their needs be met if they moved to another living arrangement? Discuss the following living options with your loved one to figure out which one is the best fit for them.

Independent Living with an In-Home Caretaker: This option is a happy medium if your elderly parent requires assistance but doesn’t want to leave their home. There are many types of in-home caregivers to fit your loved one’s situation such as part-time caretakers or live-in caretakers. This role can be filled through either a family member or a hired outside source. 1+1 Cares can help match your loved one with a caregiver to meet their needs.

Independent Living Communities for Aging Adults: This is the ideal choice for your loved one if they are healthy and active enough to live independently, but struggle with loneliness or isolation. These housing communities don’t provide any medical care for seniors, however, they are surrounded by other aging residents and are offered services such as transportation and social activities.

Assisted Living: This solution of care is for seniors who are active but require an extra hand with activities such as dressing, bathing, and preparing meals. Assisted Living offers the same amenities and social surroundings as an independent living community with the addition of receiving medical care and supervision regularly.

Nursing Homes: This option is there for your loved one if they are suffering from a chronic condition and will require round-the-clock medical care and rehabilitation services.

Finances

When your loved one can no longer do things on their own, someone else will have to step in and help them maintain their finances. If you’re handling their finances, you may have to coordinate and pay their bills, look over their insurance plans, and reach out to resources for financial help.

Resources for Financial Help

Don’t fret if you can’t afford a caregiver on your own. You can still receive help from government programs if you don’t have insurance coverage for long-term care or can’t afford to use your existing financial resources. Start by looking on EldercareLocator to find your local Area Agency on Aging. AAA offices have resources on home health care and are the gateway to Medicaid. You can also go straight to the source and check out benefits.gov, the official benefits website of the U.S government. You will find over 1,000 benefit and assistance programs that could apply to the care your loved one needs. Benefitscheckup.org (National Council of Aging) is another great website to visit because it is the nation’s most comprehensive online service to research benefits and programs for seniors with limited income and resources.

Both aging and caregiving are not easy, but knowing what to expect will make the process go a lot smoother. For more information on how to care for your loved one, check out more step-by-step guides on Taking care of your parents on 1+1 Cares.

1+1 Cares is a referral agency that works for clients and caregivers. We match caregivers with clients and inform them of your requirements. We work for you so you and your loved one can have a safe, enjoyable caregiving experience.