How family can manage their elderly’s care at a senior living

Management of Elderly or Geriatric care is done worldwide not only by hired caregivers or in senior living but also simultaneously by the elderly’s family, friends sometimes or even neighbors, partners, community. Having seen all the above in the past, there is no right or wrong as everyone has a unique thought process and perspective on caring. Culture does play a major role in this. When we allow culture to fit in our senior living, we are allowing humanity to thrive and be well forever. That being said, the care that people of the senior provide aside from what they get at senior living is sometimes different, similar, or even complimentary. In other words, some families do like to be more hands-on if they live nearby and some like to be there for companionship and family-ship rather than spending time on routine things.
Most of all, all scenarios lead to satisfaction, happiness, the joy of being with family for the senior or for caring by the family and others. To what extent the help is needed or wanted by the elderly is dependent on many factors, underlying conditions, finances, distance from the above, and many more.
Management can be a challenge when parties do not agree, but when they do, it is such a blessing and joy.
Here are some ways for a family to manage an elderly’s care at a senior living:
Make a plan when the elderly moves in and where and so on… all details need to be clear and precise.
Plan ahead for the above, not days but months are preferable but anything that works is also alright.
Decide who holds the DPOA for health, finances, or both?
Who knows more about the healthcare needs, who has been caring closely?
Who can help manage finances in the best interests of the elderly and have access to the elderly if needed?
What are the needs of the elderly, what are their abilities currently, and what is being anticipated further…?
How will appointments to healthcare be handled, who will be responsible to oversee the care at the senior living?
Why must the elderly need help from families if senior living can provide them? Are there any unmet needs? Or it is like a family not able to let it go?
What can a family do to enhance the experience? Or what can they not do?
What is the future of the senior? Is the family planning to bring them home ultimately or will they move them somewhere else?
Have they thought about holidays, celebrations, events, birthdays, etc?
Are they all equally familiar with what senior living has to offer?
How long will the savings last for the senior parent to receive care in the senior living?
Is there a living will, a trust?
Have they thought about end-of-life care for their parent or elderly family member?
Have the family made a list of the wishes of the senior? What are they planning to do with it or how will they address those?
How would they like to spend time with the elderly, doing chores, or enjoy time…?What are their priorities?
Who will make the calls in times of emergency or urgency? Who should the senior living know to call and inform, as sometimes DPOA is not available?
Has the family had experience in caring for another elderly and if yes, what challenges did they face and how did they overcome them, and if not, have they reached out to resources?
What is the ultimate goal they are setting for the care, the parent or elderly, and for themselves?

A lot of these questions can be asked in other ways, have simplified them into the above as per my experiences in the past, however, there are always opinions from others that could benefit us, that is the power of diversity in Geriatric care. We thank everyone for following our blogs and are happy to get feedback. We shall continue this conversation in future blogs… until then we wish mihygge to every senior and their kith and kin wherever they are, regards.