Caregiver

Are you looking for ways to help the seniors in your family, neighborhood and community? Did you know that May is National Older Americans Month?  In fact, this celebration of our Older Americans is to encourage communities, families and loved ones to get involved in learning about the issues that our Older Americans face as they age. Do you have senior loved ones in your family? Do you have neighbors who are seniors? This month think about how you could help the Older Americans in your life by using the ideas below.

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Did you know that across the nation November is celebrated as National Family Caregivers Awareness Month? Are you the caregiver for a family member? Do you know someone who is a family caregiver? During the month of November, everyone across the nation is invited to celebrate the importance of all family caregivers.  Family caregivers provide a tremendous amount of both paid and unpaid care to aging loved ones in Alabama. In fact, across the nation there are over 53 million family caregivers hard at work. We know these family caregivers because they are our family, our friends, and our neighbors.

The holidays are over, the New Year is here, and for most of us the time spent with family has ended. During your time with family, we hope you were able to speak to and spend time with your aging parents.

While speaking with your parents, did you discuss the future?  Did you notice if they had any substantial issues or impairments that were not there last year? Did they talk to you about any new diagnoses or changes to medications?  Finally, were you able to address concerns you, or they, may have about long-term care planning?

Have you completed your Alabama estate planning for your loved one with special needs? We know this is a difficult topic to discuss as well as how hard it may be to contemplate a time when you are no longer here to provide for and protect your loved one. With as  many challenges as you and your loved one may face, however, you cannot wait to complete your Alabama estate planning. 

It is important to plan ahead for the long-term future of your loved one with special needs. Whether it is during this month of October, when there is national awareness on Special Needs Planning, or any time throughout the year, creating the estate plan you need is of critical importance.

The decision to move a loved one to a next level of care is a highly personal decision, often influenced by finances and community support. Have your needs or that of a loved one come to a point where a family caregiver is not enough and a nursing home is needed? Researching nursing homes well in advance of the decision to move to a higher level of care can help you feel confident in your decision. While there are many factors that impact this decision, these key points can help you make the best decision possible when the time for long-term care comes:  

1. Location and size. Location may be one of the most important factors. If you are the one needing care, you will want to be as close to your family as possible.
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There is a wide range of home health care services available from daily household tasks to medical care.

With the use of videoconferencing over mobile devices and remote health technology monitoring, telehealth services can connect patients to much needed healthcare outlets.