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Holidays help families recognize that elders need

Holidays help families recognize that elders need help

As the holidays come to a close, many families open their eyes to the realization that their older parents or relatives are having trouble. The first weeks of January are always our busiest time for calls at Home Care Assistance. When families get together once a year, that’s when they see that Mom or Dad isn’t doing too well. Suddenly they see senior care as an emergency, and we’re here to help.

    Nearly one in six Americans has a relative who is living alone but can’t perform daily living activities without assistance. An estimated 7 million of them live an hour or more away from this relative. Such needs can go unnoticed for months. “I thought Mom just had arthritis, but Pop never let on that she was having serious memory and other problems,” says Mary Reisen. “When we visited in December, we were shocked to see she couldn’t even dress herself and she was having trouble answering simple questions.”
    Seniors themselves are often the last to realize or admit that they need help, especially to their own children. This is especially true for embarrassing bodily or memory issues. Over the years of short weekly phone calls, occasional letters and twice yearly visits, many symptoms get masked or go unnoticed.
    Most of the physical and mental challenges that affect seniors are not medically related. Common frailty and even chronic illness can’t be solved by a hospital stay. Unfortunately, these very same issues can make it very tough for seniors to live independently alone at home.

    Nevertheless, the inability to perform such basic daily activities shouldn’t force an older adult into a facility. This also shouldn’t force families to resort to the role of primary caregiver, especially over long distances.
    The best alternative is to hire a an in-home caregiver. This is becoming the most popular solution. Of the $3.5 billion in long-term insurance benefits last year, 43 percent was for home care. That’s higher than what assisted living facilities received, and much higher than nursing home care.

    Unlike private caregivers who advertise in the classifieds, a full-service home care agency makes a wiser choice. Agencies like Home Care Assistance handle all the aspects of hiring and managing a caregiver. They conduct thorough checks of criminal backgrounds, DMV records and legal work status. Their caregivers are bonded and insured. Plus, they can provide substitute caregivers with little notice in case of illness or emergencies.
    “We chose Home Care Assistance because we know we can call them 24/7, “ says Ken Bailey. “They’ve even managed a scheduling request we made within a hour!”

    If a recent visit to or by an older relative leaves any doubt that he or she can safely live alone at home, scheduling an assessment with a home care agency is a smart move. With offices nationwide, Home Care Assistance provides in-home assessments for free. For more information, call 1-866-454-8346, or visit www.HomeCareAssistance.com.