Question: As my parents age and their health deteriorates, I am faced with major decisions. First, there were the subtle signs that mom had Alzheimer’s disease, the growing forgetfulness, placing a coffee cup in the oven, or she’d go for a walk and not know how to get back. Dad carries the burden of care by managing things on the home front, but his health is deteriorating as well. I work fulltime and worry about them while I am at work. What can I do?
Answer: This scenario is playing out all over America; busy adults with their own families and careers worrying about a parent’s deteriorating health. Figuring out what’s best for a loved one is not an easy decision. A geriatric care manager is one option.
A geriatric care manager is a specialist who is knowledgeable about the spectrum of possible care arrangements and can advise families on options, whether they live in the same community or miles away. A geriatric care manager can review many aspects of living needs. For example, does your mother need help with activities like bathing, dressing or prompting to complete an activity? Does she need 24-hour supervision? Is your father truly capable of managing the home or is it too strenuous for him?
Geriatric care managers can also help select caregivers who act as surrogate children, making sure your parents eat nutritious meals, take medications correctly and get to the doctor. The geriatric care manager can advise families on housing options based on your parent’s financial resources, health and physical needs.
Comfort Keepers has helped many families in this predicament. Our caregivers provide companionship and 24-hour supervision. They can help with medications, housework, shopping, cooking and driving. They can also assist with personal care and grooming. Although Comfort Keepers, as an in-home care provider, delivers a fairly high level of geriatric care management within the scope of our services, when the needs increase, a professional geriatric care manager may be the answer. Choosing what’s best for parents as they age can be very challenging and time consuming. But there are resources available to you.
If you have questions you would like to see answered in this column, mail them to Comfort Keepers, 24355 Lyons Avenue Suite 110, Santa Clarita or via email to santaclarita@comfortkeepers.com .
For more information on senior living and elder care options, go to www.comfortkeepers.com . Myles McNamara, owner of Comfort Keepers, works professionally with the elderly on issues relating to senior independence. For more information, please call 661-287-4200.