Mrs. Smith (named changed) is 59 years old and suffered a massive stroke 6 months ago.  The only income she had coming in was $2,400 a month from her deceased husbands social security.  She could not take social security herself because she would lose her husbands benefits.

The Dilemma

Mrs. Smith is currently paying $1685/month for 24 hour round the clock care because the stroke left her paralyzed on the left side of her body.  Her money will run out in 11 months.  She owns her house free and clear but does not want to sell it.

Unfortunately for Mrs. Smith, her options are limited.  She is ineligible for Medicare and Medicaid because of her current income and will not be able to sustain her current way of life.

The Solution

With the help of our medical alert system we will be able to reduce the amount of hours each day she will need for elder care.  This will save her close to $1,000 each month.  While this may not work for everyone because of their individual medical conditions it is an alternative for some.

As always, anyone considering a  MedFirst Alert medical alert system should consult with their physician first.  It is not a substitute for medical care but for the right set of circumstances a medical alert can prevent someone from spending a small fortune.

I’m concerned about what will happen when the aging population runs out of money to pay for these expensive assisted living homes. At between $ 50,000 and $90,000 per year, who will be able to live there long? Our elders were a little more prepared but I don’t believe that the baby boomer generation has prepared themselves well enough to be able to cover even a year of living there. And now that many boomers are upside down on their mortgages, selling their home won’t help to pay for that care. Not many of us have long term care insurance either. (And in reality, how can long term care insurance continue to exist when almost ALL of us will need it at some point?) Author, Shelley Webb, Eldercare Support group 1/12/2010

Shelley,

Good article and right on the money. We may see assisted living facilities go through a tough time when the Boomer generation runs out of money. – Which could possible happen. The family unit has got to become the main sustaining channel through which our seniors get the care they need. The Hispanics do it well. It’s part of their culture and used to be part of ours. I think we will see a surge in the medical alert industry due to the lack of funds available for round the clock care for seniors. Having a home medical alert is certainly no substitute for proper medical care but it can help seniors retain their independence for at least a few extra months or years.

John
MedFirstAlert.com

Make Home a Safe Haven

Install grab or pull bars in the bathrooms so your parent has additional support to avoid sips and falls. Remove clutter and obstacles from walkways and hallways so that they are easily maneuverable. Make sure these rooms are also well lit so any obstructions will be easier for aging eyes to spot and avoid.

Offer Assistance with Cooking and Cleaning

You don’t have to go in every day and cook and clean but if you offer to come in once a week and help with these things it will give you the opportunity to check for potential problems while also greatly aiding the person who has loved you through the truly better and worse moments in your life.

Visit Frequently

There isn’t enough that can be said about this. Frequent visits will allow you to see for yourself if problems are beginning to crop up with your parent’s health. Over the phone these problems aren’t as easy to see. More importantly you’ll be able to take advantage of important time together in these later years and build a new kind of relationship with your elderly parent.

Get to Know Your Parent’s Neighbors

If you develop a relationship with your parents neighbors you might be able to pay the teenage girl next door to peek in once in a while and check on your parent or encourage another neighbor to call you if there are signs of trouble. You can keep an eye on your parent without appearing as though that’s what you’re doing.

Subscribe to a Medical Alert System

There is nothing in the world that will replace peace of mind. While you can’t be there every moment as your parent ages you can give your parent a little more freedom by providing them with the gift of instant access to assistance when needed. A decent medical alert system will not only provide instant access to emergency care but will also contact you so that you can do what is needed to be there for your parent.

These are all small things you can do that will be invaluable to an aging parent that wants to hold on to independence for as long as possible. This gift may be the best gift you can give.

What can you do to make the transition a little easier for everyone involved?

1)   Go to great lengths to make your elderly parent feel like a welcome addition to your home. More importantly, make your parent feel like a contributing member to your home. This will do more things than you’ll realize at first to benefit your parent. First, it will give them a sense of purpose rather than feeling like an unwanted addition to the household. Second, it will help ease the tension to keep your parent busy (and away from the highly coveted remote control).

2)   Eliminate hazards from the home. Making your home a safe haven for your elderly parent is a great way to make your parent feel welcome. You want to make sure that there are grab bars in the bathroom, clear pathways in the hallway and living room for greater maneuverability, and remove any clutter that could provide a trip and fall hazard.

3)   Encourage good healthy habits. The trick is in finding a way to do it without sounding judgmental or parental. Remember that your parent still views you as the child. He or she isn’t likely to take too kindly to suddenly being ‘parented’ by you. Instead try to get your parent to help your child with exercise or eating good foods. You’ll be amazed at how well the grandchild card works.

4)   Offer plenty of privacy. Privacy is golden for your parent. While your parent may need some sort of supervision he or she also needs a little time alone on occasion to help sort through emotions.

5)   Get access to community organizations like the National Family Caregivers Association that exist to offer help for those who care for the elderly and aging. They have some amazing resources in place to help the process as painful as process for you and the parent you’re caring for.

Do these things and you’ll enjoy a much smoother transition for you and your parent. Also realize that if you can’t be there to care for your parent every minute of the day a medical alert system provides an excellent second line of defense if something happens to your parent while you’re away.

You’ll be in no condition to take care of an elderly parent if you’re in bad shape physically, mentally, or emotionally. According to the National Family Caregivers Association, depression among caregivers is quite common. Do self screenings for signs of depression often and get help (not only professional help but also help for the care giving duties you face) when necessary so you can be in a better frame of mind for the elderly parent you’re caring for.

Let Others Know of Your Responsibility

There are actually quite a few medic alert bracelets that will identify you as a family caregiver in case something should ever happen to you. This should give you some degree of peace of mind to know that your parent will be looked in on and cared for if you are incapacitated and unable to do so yourself. If you have friends and other family members that are aware of your responsibility you can go one step further by implementing a disaster plan that calls upon others for help if something does happen to you.

Encourage Independence in Your Parent

It’s one thing to take care of your aging parent. It’s quite commendable in fact. It’s another thing entirely to do everything for your parent. That, to some degree, will take away whatever independence is left for them. You may need to prod sometimes to get them to do things that were once so simple and now are quite difficult but the rewards will be better self esteem for the parent and a lighter work load for you. Even fostering the ability to get dressed, brush hair, and pour coffee will save you countless hours in a week.

Ask for Help from Friends and Family when Needed

Everyone needs a break sometimes. You need to be able to take a night off every once in a while to go out and do a little living of your own. Go out and enjoy a night on the town. See a favorite movie. Get a manicure. Have a date. Do something fun and frivolous to escape the physical and emotional toll that caring for an aging parent can have over you.

During those times when you’re away be sure to provide an added system of support with a medical alert system. This will be the eyes and ears around the home when you aren’t there and a system to notify you of any problems that arise.