Ayanna Kirton, Staff ReporterCARING FOR an elderly parent or relative can be an overwhelming res-ponsibility. Although many family members may provide this care willingly, caregiving can create physical, emotional, and economic stress.
There are a variety of services available to support the efforts of family caregivers. For example, Personal care services providing a trained aide who will come into the home to relieve the caregiver and provide personal assistance and supervision to the older person or homemaker services that provide an aide to do light housekeeping chores so the caregiver can focus on other tasks.
Nursing homes provide skilled care and custodial care to the elderly who do not need the intensive, acute care of a hospital but for whom remaining home is no longer appropriate. These homes are also capable of caring for individuals with a wide range of medical conditions.
According to Dr. Andrew Greene, specialist in family medicine and owner of the Mona Care Geriatric and Convalescence Home, when trying to determine whether home care or institutional care is more appropriate for your elderly parent or relative, all bases should be covered.
Because caring for a relative can be a full-time job, Dr. Greene urges potential caregivers to be aware of the implications that the responsibility could have on the caregiver or his or her family. "Families need to discuss the needs that will arise for an elderly relative especially one that is in need of special care because of an illness," he said. He provides the following tips for those considering the option of home caring for an elderly relative:
Demands may vary depending on the heath of your relative: caregivers should ensure that relatives receive a complete medical assessment so that proper treatment is given for any ailments.
Regular check-ups are also necessary to maintain general health and for early detection of illnesses.
A suitable diet is critical. Proper nutrition is important for an elderly relative especially those suffering from an illness like diabetes.
Do not neglect your elderly relative's social life. Going outdoors and maintaining contact with family members or friends can make a world of difference.
Get help if you can't do it all on your own. A practical or registered nurse could be employed to ease the burden. Rates can vary from $800-$1,200 per day for an eight-hour shift and may increase depending on the number of hours their services are needed
Budget for the various expenses you might incur since the cost of medication varies widely depending on the illness. Generic brands are available for a fraction of the cost of regular brands, in some cases two-thirds of the cost. Medication for diabetes and blood pressure conditions can cost over $4,000 a month while medication for serious illnesses like Alzheimer's disease is also very expensive. Elderly relatives may also need pampers to help with incontinence these can cost up to $1,000 per pack.
If you consider institutional care for your relative or parent a more manageable option, Dr. Greene suggests doing the following before making your decision:
Visit the home beforehand to see exactly what it is like: Is it clean? Are activities or entertainment provided for residents? Do residents look happy? What is the attitude of the staff towards the residents?
Make a note of the patient to nurse ratio. Nursing homes are required to have only five patients per nurse. If the nursing home does not meet this requirement, chances are your elderly relative may be neglected and may not receive proper care he or she needs
Be sure that registered nurses are on staff this is a standard requirement for all nursing homes.
Maria, a mother of three adult children assumed the responsibility of caregiver for her mother three years ago. Although she feels that caring for her mother gives her a better quality of life versus being on her own or in a nursing home, she agrees that it is a tremendous responsibility and one that requires total reorganisation of your life.
"Many changes have to be made to accommodate an elderly parent," she said. "For some children the responsibility may be thrust on them and that can be quite difficult if you did not have a good relationship in the past," she explained. "You may have had your differences in the past but I think it is our duty as children to take on the responsibility if the need arises. There is always the generation gap."
The financial strain can also create tension or conflict. "If you are unable to manage financially it can be extremely frustrating," she said. "You have to be willing to make the sacrifice in order to keep them healthy and usually that means putting their needs before your own. Medications in general are extremely expensive and as you get older chronic illnesses are inevitable, so there is always that expense."
She offers the following tips to make your life and the life of your elderly relative a little easier:
Although you may have to plan activities in advance it is always important to make time for yourself
Provided you have a large house the ideal situation is separate living quarters. Your parent can live in a separate room or side of the house and still have the comfort of knowing that someone is there to check in on them throughout the day.
Medications can be very expensive. Where possible, caregivers should enlist the help of other siblings or relatives to pitch in financially.
Finally, There are technological advances that can make caring for an elderly person a much easier task. Things like Velcro fasteners, lightweight wheelchairs, devices to control appliances and some telephones, or a "walk-in bathtub" for people who have difficulty climbing into an ordinary bathtub can make the lives of and elderly person and their caregiver a lot easier. In the same way a home is "baby proofed" for a toddler, Maria recommends 'old proofing' your house for an elderly relative. For example, he/she may be too weak to lift water bottles from the refrigerator; Maria suggests filling smaller, lighter bottles with water to make it easier for them to help themselves. Adding a railing to your bathtub can also help them to maintain their balance while taking a bath and is an easy way to help an elderly relative to maintain their independence.
Not her real name.
