Caregiving requires devotion and compassion. It is not something you wake up one morning and decide to do. As you face aging parent(s)/grandparent(s), you can do either one of three things:
- Place them in a nursing home
- Consult an in-home senior care agency
- Do it yourself
Let’s look at all three differently.
Nursing Homes:
Choose wisely because not all nursing homes are created equal. Make sure you physically, emotionally, and visually check the nursing home out prior to enrolling your aging parent(s)/grandparent(s). Upon first arrival and you notice it reeks of urine….walk back out the door. If you find that seniors are just sloped over in a chair outside their room or staring unemotionally out the door or window, there is need for concern. By no means should you expect your parents(s)/grandparent(s) will be taken care of just because you are told, “We take pride in what we do.” Or “Our seniors get the best care.” Do a surprise visit and see for yourself if whether or not promises are kept. Check out all the staff that is going to be involved with your parent(s)/grandparent(s) on a daily basis; get names, numbers, and hours of meal service and baths.
In-home senior care:
The same goes here; do your research, ask around, and check out local In-home senior care facilities in your neighborhood. Go on line and see if there have been any complaints. When you Google, “In-home senior care”, see what facility pops up first and start from there. There are some good ones and there are some not so good ones. Most seniors want to be taken care of in the comfort of their own home. It’s where they live, sleep, eat…..it’s their home. In some cases, a family member can be designated to take care of the aging parent(s)/grandparent(s). Check with the laws in your particular state.
Do it yourself:
So we have come to this…take care of your parent(s)/grandparent(s) yourself. How do you go about doing it? There are several ways of doing it. For me, I had to contact my mom’s Social Service Representative and was sent a list of In-home senior care facilities to work through. Again, my mom had to designate me as her personal care aide. Check out the attached link to find just about all your answers on elderly care, nursing homes, and any other questions or concerns you may have. After all, you want the best for your parent(s)/grandparent(s)…you want to be there for them like they were for you…
http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Seniors/Housing.shtml
These opinions are solely mine. The referenced link attached is to guide you in making your own decision for the needs of your aging parent(s)/grandparent(s).
This Concludes Mimi Jenkins’ Moment of Truth
