|
Coping with Your
Situation: don’t try to do it alone.
For example, your seventy-eight year
old father has been incapacitated by a
stroke. Since Mom died five years ago, he
has lived alone in their family home and
taken good care of himself and his affairs.
All that changed overnight. He cannot remain
in the hospital now his medical condition is
stable, and your sister in New York, and
brother in Phoenix have left you to find a
suitable place for him in the Dallas area.
Along with your own daily responsibilities
and the devastating realization that the one
who looked after you is now helpless, you
are overwhelmed by your emotions and the
enormity of the task ahead of you. You have
no idea where to start.
Critical
decisions affecting the physical and
emotional well-being of someone you love are
the most heart wrenching and frightening you
will ever have to make. Don’t try to do it
alone; you’ll need help and support. Do
consider the services of a professional
Geriatric Care Manager.
Although
every situation is unique, the following is
a basic process, which can help make it more
manageable for you:
Most
importantly, you must know what you’re
dealing with. For your own peace of mind,
learn all you can about your patient’s
condition and what it means. Communicate
with doctors to fully understand the levels
of daily care your loved one is going to
need now, and as the illness or condition
progresses. This is important for planning a
smooth transition from one care level to the
next, if and when necessary. Don’t be afraid
to ask questions, and keep asking them until
you are satisfied. If you have doubts, feel
free to seek a second opinion, but don’t let
denial prevent you from pursuing treatment
for your patient.
Determine what
services and resources will be necessary to
provide daily care. Perhaps your patient can
remain comfortably at home for now, or might
require around the clock care in a
professional facility. You may need someone
to account for the finances or help you
understand Medicare and Medicaid; and if you
must sell a home, it may need work to make
it saleable. Make lists of all the things
that have to happen to provide the necessary
care. You can’t be an expert in all these
areas, but you can enlist the services of
those who are.
Bring together all
family members and/or friends to determine
what assistance you can reasonably expect
from them. You may have several professions
and skills represented which will minimize
your need for outside services. Work towards
a consensus, accept support in the decision
making and then hold them to it. Don’t be
surprised if old family discord resurfaces.
Once you know what outside
services you need, you must find good people
to provide those services. You will need to
know who they are, where they are, what they
do, and if they are a suitable and
trustworthy provider of the care and/or
services on your list.
Because of
this previously time consuming, frustrating,
and confusing search, asofterplace.com came
to be. It has a comprehensive and diverse
database of selected local providers to help
you, and information and resources to
support you. Choose from any of the
reputable care facilities, professionals and
businesses in any category and be
comfortable you will receive reliable,
quality service.
|
