In Home Senior Care Is A Family Issue in Nashville

Finding the best in home senior care options in Nashville, TN and surrounding areas

It often takes a family effort to make sure that your senior loved one receives the most appropriate care. It is important to make sure that you are respecting your loved one’s wishes while also providing the kind of care that can help them maintain a high quality of life.

In Home Senior Care Matters

Seniors are often vulnerable during this stage of life. They may be grappling with multiple heathy issues, cognitive changes and physical limitations. It is essential that family members provide support during this period. Family members can act as the best advocates for seniors, many of whom have difficulty expressing their preferences, desires and needs.

Regardless of whether you ultimately choose to utilize outside help such as in home senior care, an assisted living facility or some other resource, make sure that you as a family member remain involved and an active voice for your loved one’s happiness. You can easily communicate your loved one’s likes, dislikes, habits, routines and more on behalf of a loved one who may be struggling with this on their own. Without your help, their care may not rise to the level that they deserve and require.

More than 80% of seniors in the United States prefer to remain in the comfort of home as they age (we call this aging in place.) This means that families are more and more involved in their loved one’s in home senior care. This makes it even more important to have families involved in the planning stages of care as well. No individual person can adequately handle all of a senior’s care needs and it is important to address how and when each person involved will participate.

Most families typically have one sibling who is more involved in a parent’s care. This is usually based on proximity to the loved one, but can be decided based on a number of factors. Deciding who your loved one’s point person for care will be is an important conversation to have early on. Make sure you’re including your loved one in this decision. Usually it is a natural and obvious choice, but involve your loved one nonetheless.

No matter who the chief caregiver, all siblings and close relatives need to share responsibility in some form. Some ways to spread this around can include help with home maintenance, managing bills and finances, taking care of medical and insurance claims, and much more.

It is also critically important that your family members consistently visit your loved one. This allows you to get a consistent and ongoing idea of how their care is shaping up. During these visits, you should also consult with your loved one’s in home care providers and make sure that adjustments in their care plan are made according to what you’re noticing. Additionally, it will brighten your parent’s day and provide social activity for them.

What Should I Consider?

In choosing the best in home senior care options for a senior loved one, there are numerous decisions to make and questions to ask.

• How do I begin talking with my parent about their care needs?
• How will the care be funded?
• What is the safest, most comfortable, most appropriate care option for my parent?
• Is a family member nearby who can be of assistance at a moment's notice?
• What types of help does my parent need -- for instance, bathing, eating, transportation, etc.?
• How do my parent's religious affiliation and other personal preferences influence the type of care we choose?
• What types of senior care are available? How do they differ? And how does each one address my parents' needs?

In order to answer these questions and find the best in home senior care solution for your loved one, it may be beneficial for your loved one to undergo a physical exam from their doctor.

You may also want to consider options that match your loved one’s individual personality, temperament, preferences and more. If your loved one is more social, a quieter environment may be a better option. For seniors who enjoy a lot of activity, independence and conversation, choosing a care option that incorporates those things is essential.

Additionally, make sure that you consider your loved one’s previous living situations and how they thrived there. For example, did your loved one own a home with many valuable items and if so are they comfortable parting with those items? Do they prefer condo or apartment living? Having these frameworks to consider can help greatly in choosing how to proceed with future care.

Choosing the best in home senior care option may never be an exact science, but factoring in these recommendations can help you and your family land on the most appropriate choice for your loved one.