Sometimes caregiver roles flip with becoming a caregiver to our parents as they get older. At this time, he or she may feel overwhelmed and a little lost when it comes to navigating the administrative jungle that is managing their health, financials, and the other bits of their whole being. Between the compassion and organization that caregiving requires, it can be beneficial to have a set of strategies that help in both areas. This guide provides five common-sense admin approaches that will help you make sure your parents are well cared for and minimize everyone’s stress in the process.
#1 Understanding Their Needs
The first step to successfully help your aging parents is to identify their needs and wants. That means they have to begin to address issues around their health, finances, and where they are living. Tell you about their medical history, current treatments, and primary physicians.
You should also be clear on their financial position, including what insurance they have, what bank accounts they hold and any debts outstanding. In addition, think about their emotional and social wants — many seniors gain by interacting with others in addition to with the area. Knowing these elements will be useful to develop and adapt your strategy to make the service more effective.
#2 Types of Organization Documents
After you have a baseline understanding of your parent’s needs, then it’s time to get their important documents in order. Establish a central location to keep important documents like medical records, insurance policies, financial statements, and legal information like wills and power of attorney.
This can be easier with digital tools, like storing files using cloud storage services such as Dropbox. Also make sure that parents have the following readily available: How to contact each of their healthcare providers for a list of all medications taken. This will enable more seamless communication with providers and streamline all necessary administrative items.
#3 Healthcare Appointments
For aging parents, healthcare appointments begin to pile up and become overwhelming—especially if they have multiple specialists. Create a calendar that all parties can access with all of their appointments, medications, needed times to do such things as get prescription refills or make follow up appointments. Whether you use digital tools or still prefer traditional planners, either approach will help keep your family organized.
Organize transportation to every appointment (individuals, communities services or rideshare apps). Unwrapping healthcare appointments off your plate not only allows you to breathe easier in this area, but gives your parents the freedom to follow through without being overwhelmed with excess information.
#4 Budgeting and Financial Management
A significant worry for ageing parents, especially if they are experiencing memory or cognitive decline, is managing finances. It is important to ensure active monitoring of their financial wellbeing while being respectful and ensuring independence. This should be the first step, as it shows us their monthly expenditure and their income sources (perhaps this is their lowest-grade issue to deal with), together with any debts currently outstanding.
You should look for how to create a budget ( establishing your regular expenses along with adding an allowance for some discretionary spending). Automate your regular expenses to avoid paying late fees. Please also talk to them about checking their bank statements for unauthorized transactions. This could also prevent future financial exploitation and help ensure your parents live within their means.
#5 Planning for the Future
Lastly, it is very important to discuss plans for long term care and end of life. Also up for conversation are wills and dilemmas over assisted living, medical directives should you become infirm and the whole awkward will-they-bury-me-or-cremate-me question.
Document your parents’ wishes for standing grave markers or memorial services. These conversations may be difficult to have but are crucial in ensuring that what your parents want is noted. It also gives assurance to you and your parents that plans are created for the future.
In conclusion, aided parent, needs comfortable for him and came to the realization, it is a business chore. You can assist in a meaningful way, while protecting their dignity and independence simply by understanding, organizing and helping with important documents, managing healthcare appointments, overseeing finances and planning for the future. We hope this caregiver toolkit will give you the help with aging parents that answer many-how to care for your elderly parents questions, and provide comfort in knowing your family is provided for as they age gracefully.