When Do You Approach the Family About Hiring Caregivers?

When is the best time to approach your family about caregivers? Do you wait until your parents need them or discuss them in advance? The sooner you talk about home care services, the more prepared you are when it is time. If you have a plan drawn up, it reduces stress if something happens. These are the points you should talk about.

 

Elderly Care in Northfield IL: Hiring Caregivers

Elderly Care in Northfield IL: Hiring Caregivers

 

Who Is the Best Person to Make Arrangements?

Talk about who is the best choice for organizing care and making arrangements for caregivers’ services. It can take time to research services and home care providers. If the task is left to someone who is working 50 hours a week and has obligations outside of work, there may not be enough time to properly manage the process involved in finding the right caregivers.

Does the person taking on this responsibility want to? Some people are not comfortable spending hours on the phone. Others are not good organizers. You need to make sure it’s a job that the person is willing to take on.

If no one is comfortable, you’ll have to team up and work on it together and designate the different tasks. One person could handle the financial aspect while the other schedules and keeps appointments.

 

What Do Your Parents Want?

Involve your parents in these discussions. Would your dad be more comfortable with a male caregiver or is he okay with a female? How about your mom? Are there aspects of care that make them uncomfortable that should be discussed to help ease their mind?

If your mom isn’t comfortable having someone help her with bathing, you could discuss how caregivers are trained to keep her covered as much as possible during the shower. Let her ask questions of a home care agency if it puts her at ease.

What Legal Requirements Haven’t Been Met?

Before anything can get set up, you need to make sure you have the legal permission to do things. If you’re not allowed to discuss your mom and dad’s care with their doctors, you’re not going to be able to do much. HIPAA forms need to be filled out.

If your parents needed someone to act on their behalf when it comes to medical decisions, you need to be designated as the medical power of attorney. Anyone handling the financial side of care needs to be a financial power of attorney.

Once you’ve discussed how to make the arrangements and how your parents will pay for caregivers, it makes it easier when the time comes. You can call the home care agencies in your parents’ town or city and discuss the services they need.

 

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring  Elderly Care in Northfield, IL, call the caring staff at LifeCare Home Health & In-Home Services. Call (888) 606-4199 LifeCare serves all of the Chicago Metro Area.

LifeCare Home Health & In-Home Services