| As baby boomers watch the years fly by, one of | | | | will provide personal care assistance, medication |
| their biggest concerns is sorting through the many | | | | reminders, cleaning, cooking, laundry, running errands, |
| problems of caring for their elderly parents. When is it | | | | and transportation to appointments, and a variety of |
| no longer safe for our elderly parent to stay home | | | | other services. They are usually available twenty four |
| alone? How can we maintain our jobs, our home, our | | | | hours a day, including holidays and week ends, and do |
| children, and care for our parents all at the same | | | | not require any doctor's orders to initiate the |
| time? What resources are available to help? How do | | | | care.Home health care requires a doctor's order for |
| we approach the subject with them? How can we | | | | services to begin, and the patient must be certified |
| help them keep their independence and dignity? How | | | | to be on "home bound status". This means that they |
| do we deal with the stress of it all?As our parents | | | | can only leave home to visit the doctor, go to |
| age, we need to stay diligent and aware of changes | | | | church, or to the beauty or barber shop. A nurse will |
| in their mental orientation and ability to care for | | | | visit on a regular basis, and a home health aide will |
| themselves. Are they just a little forgetful at times, | | | | assist with personal care. Some home health agencies |
| or is it something more worrisome than that? If they | | | | also provide physical therapy, social services, speech |
| are able to take their medications without being | | | | therapy, and occupational therapy as well. Most home |
| reminded, bathe alone, dress without assistance, | | | | health care agencies are not available in the evening |
| prepare meals every day, and they are not | | | | hours, on week ends, or on holidays. The majority of |
| experiencing frequent falls or sudden illnesses, they | | | | home health agencies accept insurance and Medicare |
| are probably safe to be at home alone. There are | | | | payments.Hospice care also requires a doctor's order, |
| monitoring systems and personal emergency alert | | | | and the patient must have a life-limiting disease with |
| systems that can provide added security by making | | | | expectations of six months or less to live. Patients |
| help available to them in the event of an accident or | | | | can be re-certified for hospice every sixty days, and |
| sudden illness.However, if you notice that your | | | | may live much longer than six months and still be in |
| parent's health is declining, that they have increased | | | | hospice care. Hospice care also provides nursing and |
| weakness or weight loss, if they have had frequent | | | | home health aide services, along with extra |
| falls, if they are not taking their medications, not | | | | support to the family and patient during this difficult |
| eating properly, and not able to do their personal | | | | time. Comfort measures are a priority in the plan of |
| care without help, it may be time to look into other | | | | care, and they have a variety of services such as |
| options. Sometimes the increased care is all they | | | | social services, pastoral care, and volunteer services |
| need to regain their strength and be able to continue | | | | as well. Medicare and insurance usually are accepted. |
| living at home, avoiding placement in a nursing facility | | | | There will always be a hospice nurse on call twenty |
| or some other major life change.Finding the help you | | | | four hours a day to assist with any emergencies or |
| need is another obstacle. Knowing who to go to for | | | | special problems during times when the office is |
| help may seem to be an overwhelming task, but | | | | closed.Sometimes the best plan is a combination of |
| there are many resources available to seek | | | | home health or hospice along with private duty care. |
| information and counsel. Private duty organizations, | | | | Many seniors are resistant to accepting any kind of |
| home health agencies, and hospices are all viable | | | | help at first, and will require continual reassurance |
| places to start if you want to help your parent stay | | | | effort to help them maintain as much independence |
| at home.The Indiana Association for Home Care and | | | | as possible.When addressing these issues, never |
| Hospice (IAHHC) has a listing of all local agencies, | | | | "speak down" to your loved one. Remember, even |
| both for private pay and agencies that accept | | | | though roles are changing, they still deserve to be |
| Medicare and/or insurance payor sources. You can | | | | honored and respected. Sometimes calling a care |
| find them on their web site: investigating which | | | | giver "the maid" or "the butler" rather than a |
| private agency to use, make sure they are licensed | | | | "caregiver" or "home health aide" will help them |
| appropriately and that they do criminal background | | | | accept the situation with a little less anxiety. It's all in |
| checks on all their employees. Their staff should be | | | | the attitude that it's presented to them - help them |
| bonded and insured, and you should not have any of | | | | feel a sense of control in the situation whenever |
| the burden for carrying worker's compensation, tax | | | | possible. Try to help them understand that these |
| liabilities, or social security. A new law beginning in | | | | changes are happening in their home because you |
| January of 2006 requires all private duty, non-medical | | | | love them and want them to be able to stay at |
| services to be licensed through the state of Indiana. | | | | home as long as possible and not have to live in a |
| Make sure the agency you choose has gone through | | | | facility to get the help they need.Don't forget to |
| this licensing process, and you will be safer in trusting | | | | schedule time for yourself during this intensely |
| that they have taken all the appropriate steps in | | | | demanding season of your life. By succumbing to |
| ensuring good care for your loved one.There are | | | | false guilt or unreasonable demands, you may be |
| many financial resources available to help pay for | | | | setting yourself up for a disaster later. Take time to |
| private duty care, such as reverse home mortgages. | | | | enjoy your immediate family, your hobbies, and |
| The Veterans Administration can give you valuable | | | | leisure time as well. Join in with other caregiver |
| information on benefits for veterans who need care | | | | groups for extra support - you can find them at |
| at home and have served at least one day in the | | | | churches or on the web. You'll be safeguarding your |
| service during war time. These benefits are also | | | | own ability to handle this long term role as a |
| available for spouses of veterans. Look on the web | | | | caregiver with a healthy mind, body, and spirit.Jo |
| for more information regarding financial concerns; | | | | Nelson is a registered nurse and co-owner of |
| there's plenty of information available. You can also | | | | Servant's Heart Homemaker Services located in |
| contact private duty agencies and request assistance | | | | Logansport. Servant's Heart provides companion |
| in finding funds that are available.Private duty | | | | services for the elderly in their homes.For more |
| agencies can provide any kind of non-medical care | | | | information contact Jo at or call 574-739-1776. |
| needed to assist the client in staying at home. They | | | | |