A Child’s Guide to Eldercare

DISCLAIMER: This information is provided "as is". The author, publishers and marketers of this information disclaim any loss or liability, either directly or indirectly as a consequence of applying the information presented herein, or in regard to the use and application of said information. No guarantee is given, either expressed or implied, in regard to the merchantability, accuracy, or acceptability of the information.

Further, this information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read.

Since natural and/or dietary supplements are not FDA approved they must be accompanied by a two-part disclaimer on the product label: that the statement has not been evaluated by FDA and that the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease."

Table of Contents

When does it Begin
Financial Issues
Who Takes Responsibility?
Who Becomes the Caregiver?
Accelerating Care Needs
If Long Term Care is an Option
Medical Care
Nutritional Needs in the Elderly
Moving Day
Dealing with Elderly Depression
Safe Driving
Elder Safety
Understand Confusion
Know the Professionals
Take Care of the Caregiver

When does it Begin

Caring for your parents---when does it begin?

Parents are heroic people; they bring children into this world, feed them, nurture and love them and accept their idiosyncrasies no matter what. They sacrifice time and effort to take care of their children and make sure they grow up to be caring and responsible individuals.

Parents are superheroes because they can be everything their children want them to be. They can be happy for their children even when they are actually feeling sad and burdened by the daily challenge of keeping their family above the water when times are hard.

Parents are a very important part of the lives of their children because they are responsible for molding these clay-like individuals into what they will become in the future. No person could have managed to become what he is without the support of his parents.

But what happens to parents when they have reared their children and their children lead lives of their own? Parents are human beings and they succumb to old age and health problems that come with being old. Who will take care of them when they become frail and can no longer work to care for themselves?

While parents do not really impose on their children, the latter have a moral responsibility to take care of their parents when they can no longer fend for themselves. It is not so much paying back their efforts to rear their children but has more to do with returning the love that they gave their children when they were still helpless babies until the present when they are already independent beings.

The ideal situation is for parents to prepare for their retirement by resorting to a good retirement or financial management plan. This way, the parents no longer have to totally rely on their children to take care of their financial and other needs when they are already retired.

There are parents who have prepared well for their retirement and have made investments that can already financially support them and the things they like when they grow old. Some parents who were wise enough to prepare for the future spend their retirement days traveling and doing things they did not have time to do before.

But how can a person know if his parents are already in need of his support? Modern times and the modern way of living have somehow lessened family ties. A person who has elderly parents should make an effort to live closer to home or to visit them regularly to check on them or just to let them know they are being thought of.

When parents sickly and/or forgetful, then the children should make some provisions for them. If the children cannot regularly be with their parents then they should get quality healthcare and assisted living for them. This could be quite a struggle especially if parents insist they are still strong and can still take care of themselves when the reality is that they are unable to do so.

Americans have become accustomed to being placed in institutions when they become too old to take care of themselves. However, this is unthinkable for some people who have been reared up under close family ties. In other countries, the children make sure their parents live with them so they can take care of them personally.

A person will know when his parents are already in need of closer attention when they start to notice remarkable changes in their attitudes and personal hygiene. Parents who usually dress well and are sociable may be at the brink of desperation and loneliness when they start to become recluses and refuse to be included in family occasions.

It is also wise to monitor the cupboard and the refrigerator of elderly parents to make sure they have enough stock and they are eating the right kind of food. It is time to worry when their refrigerator show signs of failure to buy groceries and other food for their daily subsistence. This could mean they have forgotten to shop for their groceries or they are taking their mealtimes for granted .

Parents who have gotten accustomed to being independent may find a hard time adjusting to that period when they require care from another adult. This takes a lot of patience and every child should invest his time and effort in making sure his parents are given the same love and affection they showered on him when he was still a helpless child.

To be continued

Health News:

MSN

Live Search: eldercare site:msnbc.msn.com
Search results

Baby boomers seek help for elder care - American Boomers- msnbc.com
Baby boomers are finding it takes a village to care for aging family members. A recent survey of women found more than half are concerned about the health of a parent. So a cottage ...
Vermont program offers new twist on elder care - Aging- msnbc.com
A unique experiment in elder care is under way in Vermont.  Medicaid-eligible seniors who need someone to tend to their needs have the choice of being cared for at home by a ...
Asking the tough questions for elder care - Today Technology & Money ...
Today? contributor Jean Chatzky gives advice on how to talk to your aging parents about their retirement finances. Here's more ... Asking the tough questions for elder care ...
Aging News & Information - Read the Latest Articles Concerning the ...
Aging news and information from MSNBC.com. Read the latest articles concerning the aging workforce, anti-aging treatments and more.
High-tech devices aimed at seniors - Aging- msnbc.com
Digital lifestyle technologies are slowly being adapted by the elderly, allowing them to stay longer in their own homes, relieve the burdens of caregivers, and, ultimately, reduce ...

Newsfeed display by CaRP

Google

eldercare - Google News
eldercare - Google News

Great steps made towards learning - Western Telegraph

Great steps made towards learning
Western Telegraph, UK - 16 minutes ago
?That is why all the courses are free, all the course materials are free, and free childcare or eldercare can be provided if needed. ...
Share this article: - Vineland Daily Journal

Share this article:
Vineland Daily Journal, NJ - 5 hours ago
18, 2008, at Millville Center, Genesis ElderCare after an extended illness. Born in Millville, she was a lifelong resident. She had worked for Wheaton Glass ...
Care facility investigated after woman dies - KSWT-TV

Care facility investigated after woman dies
KSWT-TV, AZ - Aug 19, 2008
An eldercare watchdog group calls the death inexcusable and says families should expect a higher standard of care.
For Families of the Ailing, a Brief Chance to Relax - Ocala

For Families of the Ailing, a Brief Chance to Relax
Ocala, FL - 5 hours ago
?We also act as advocates for the person in the medical system,? said Linda Fodrini-Johnson, who operates a network of 18 care managers called Eldercare ...
/REPEAT -- Media Advisory - Kids & Company opens first site in ... - Canada N...

/REPEAT -- Media Advisory - Kids & Company opens first site in ...
Canada NewsWire (press release), Canada - Jul 22, 2008
... work-life balance services and now provides corporate partners with access to eldercare assistance and a meals-to-go program in addition to childcare. ...

Newsfeed display by CaRP

 

Yahoo!

Yahoo! News Search Results for eldercare
Yahoo! News Search Results for eldercare

Company news (The Post-Standard)
Ö Richard S. Scolaro, partner with Scolaro, Shulman, Cohen, Fetter & Burstein P.C., which has an office on Plum Street in Syracuse, recently spoke on the topic of "Charitable Planning with Split-Interest Ownership Advantages and Disadvantages" at the 2008 Personal Financial Planning & Eldercare Conference in New York City. Scolaro also was named to the 2008 New York area top lawyers as published ...
Afternoon obituary update (Daily Journal)
Sarah S. Tice, 92, of Millville died Monday, Aug. 18, 2008, in the Millville Center, Genesis ElderCare, after an extended illness. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday in the Christy Funeral Home, 11 W. Broad St. Millville.
Internet Resources Empower Long-distance Caregivers (Palatka Daily News)
(ARA) - John is 82 and lives in Manhattan. Since the death of his brother, he regularly checks on his 87-year-old sister-in-law who lives about 90 minutes away. She has dementia and needs help with daily needs. An aide lives with her, but John is concerned the help is getting burned out.
CENTRAL NY BUSINESS NEWS (The Post-Standard)
? Pneumonia deaths high at 2 area hospitals Two Central New York hospitals have higher than average death rates for pneumonia patients, according to the federal government.
For Families of the Ailing, a Brief Chance to Relax (The Gadsden Times)
A growing number of facilities now offer short-term respite stays, which give caregivers the chance to take a break.

Newsfeed display by CaRP