Senior Journal
March 2, 2009
With the struggles of today’s economy and the life expectancy of the population increasing, there are huge demands surfacing for caregivers of the elderly. A popular term and the primary demographic for senior caregiving is the "Sandwich their nuclear families as well as taking responsibility for their aging parents. Most feel stretched thin at best and are often left wondering how they can help alleviate the growing burden of caring for their parents.
As an alternative to nursing homes or long term care facilities, many families are opting to keep aging loved ones in the home. While the senior in your life might love the idea of staying in the home, as a close family member, caregiver or friend there are many considerations and worries that go along with this decision.
The Sandwich Generation needs some relief from the stress of worrying about how to handle caregiving and what they can do to prepare. The following will allow you to create a working guide to making assessments, care plans and how to consider different options for aging in place.
The First Step: Assessment
The first step when considering caregiving in the home is to conduct your own assessment in a quiet and unobtrusive manner.
Step 2: Develop a Care Plan
One of the most important decisions associated with developing a care plan is considering whether you and/or family members will be able to handle the responsibility.
In some cases, you may want to consider seeking other forms of support; nutrition or preventive health services and caregiver support services.
Keep in mind that many outside services are funded in part through the Older Americans Act and administered by the U.S. Administration on Aging. For more information about local services, contact the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 or at www.eldercare.gov.
Abridged
SOURCE: Senoir Journal
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