As your loved one ages, you might find you need a professional partner – such as a nursing home, assisted living, home health caregivers, adult day care or hospice. When making a decision, you need to be sure that both you and your loved one feel good about whatever arrangements are made. The following are options:
Home Health: This is the most flexible of all options. A professional home health caregiver will come into the home and provide whatever services are needed. This could encompass help with everyday household chores or round-the-clock care. A home health-care agency will supply caregivers that have the appropriate skills and training to perform needed tasks.
Assisted Living Facilities: These facilities are staffed to provide help to people who need assistance during the day, but are still able to live somewhat independently. The level of assistance provided is generally intermittent and task-specific. For example, your loved one may need help preparing meals, taking medication or need assistance with bathing. In most cases, assisted living facilities will not accept someone that is not able to move about on his or her own.
Nursing Homes: There are two types – Short-term rehabilitative care and long-term care for chronic conditions. In addition to rehabilitative capabilities, nursing homes are staffed to provide for daily medical needs and can accommodate patients who spend most or all of their time in a bed or wheelchair. Nursing homes can accommodate patients with a wide variety of conditions, including mild to severe dementia.
Adult Day Care: These programs provide care and socialization for people who need assistance and/or monitoring during the day. The goal is to offer respite to family caregivers, allowing them to go to work, run errands or simply get a break from care-giving chores. Depending on the program, adult day care centers provide social services, meals and certain health-related services.
Hospice: This is end-of-life care provided by nurses, social workers, home-health aides and spiritual leaders. The goal is to keep a terminally ill person as content, comfortable and pain free as possible. Depending on the program, hospice care can be provided at home or in a facility. Services typically extend to support for the entire family, not just the patient.
Keep in mind that no one ever plans to become sick or disabled. As you or your loved ones age, planning for the future can make all the difference in an emergency. There are many types of legal documents that can help you or your loved one plan for the future.
- Wills and Trusts let you name the person you want your money and property to go to after you die.
- Advance Directives (or Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare) lets you make arrangements for your care if you become sick or incapacitated. It lets you name the person you want to make medical decisions for you if you can’t make them yourself. It also lets you state what kind or care you do or do not want. This can make it easier for family members to make tough healthcare decisions for you.
- Durable Power of Attorney allows you to name someone you trust to take care of your finances. This could entail paying bills, watching over investments, collecting insurance or government benefits and handling other money matters on your behalf. Without this important document, your loved ones will have to go court to get authority over your financial affairs.
If you or your loved ones have not done Estate Planning, contact our office to set up an appointment at 314-962-0186.
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