Helping Aging Relatives Get the Care They Need at Home
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Most of us will encounter older relatives and family members who require more care at some point in their lives. Taking the necessary actions as soon as possible to protect their financial condition and locate relevant health and domestic services may allow them to stay home and get adequate care.
Can Your Relative Continue to Live in Their Home?
Your older relative or family member may need to change living arrangements if:
■ The cost of maintaining a house or apartment becomes unmanageable
■ The house or apartment is unsafe or unsuited to your relative’s needs
■ The location of the house or apartment is not convenient
■ Your older relative becomes too frail to continue living alone
Housing decisions are rarely straightforward. If your relative or family member wishes to stay at home, there may be several possibilities for support.
Services Your Older Relative May Benefit From
Home Sharing
If a family member needs assistance with both the cost of maintaining their living situation and the day-to-day administration of domestic activities, home sharing may be an appealing choice. With this arrangement, this person shares a home with someone looking for low-cost housing. The home sharer offers to assist with cooking, cleaning, and other household tasks in exchange for reduced rent.
Maintenance and repair programs
Suppose your relative is happy in their home but is considering moving due to the high maintenance costs. In that case, you could look into programs that can lower monthly expenses or financing alternatives that can produce rental income from the house or apartment.
■ Your utility company can offer ways to reduce fuel costs.
■ Your bank may also provide low- or no-interest loans for maintenance and repair.
■ Social assistance groups and faith-based organizations offer free or low-cost labor for modest and significant house repairs.
Other programs can evaluate possible safety risks and make the appropriate improvements. This information is available from your local regional agency on aging.
Other Services and Options to Consider
Property tax abatement
Property tax exemptions are frequently granted to senior citizens and others who fulfill specific income standards. Several localities and jurisdictions understand that older residents may be unable to pay higher property taxes. Inquire with your city, town hall, or local area aging agency for property tax reductions.
Property tax deferral loans
Local governments may make loans to elderly homeowners to help them pay their property taxes in specific instances. Property tax deferral loans are not payable until the homeowner moves, sells, or dies. The criteria and procedures for these programs differ from one municipality to the next.
Fuel assistance programs
Older people who maintain their own homes may be eligible for grants to help pay their utility bills or, in some cases, weatherproof their homes. These grants are distributed through local community action agencies or area agencies on aging, which are usually listed in telephone directories.
Moving closer to family members
Sometimes older relatives desire to live close to family members while maintaining some freedom. An additional apartment can be added to a single-family property or established in a two-family home. This alternative allows seniors to remain near their relatives while maintaining their privacy. While some municipalities permit supplementary apartments, many have restrictive zoning restrictions. Consult a local attorney with knowledge of zoning problems to learn more about the regulations in your neighborhood.
Home Health Care
Many older adults can remain at home, provided they receive the necessary health care services. Several localities offer a variety of home healthcare services, including:
Registered nurse (RN)
An RN offers skilled nursing care; coordinates health care services when other doctors, agencies, or individuals are involved; teaches individuals how to care for themselves; teaches family members how they can care for the older person; plans further care based on the individual’s changing needs or physical condition; communicates with doctors about the older person’s medical progress
Certified Home Health Aide
This aide works under the direction of an RN and can administer oral medications and provide hands-on care; can take temperature, check pulse rate, assist in all activities of daily living, and change nonsterile dressings
Occupational therapist
A therapist can assess the older person’s physical and mental limitations and recommend changes or adaptations in the environment to promote independence.
Physical therapist
A physical therapist provides therapy to help an older person regain mobility after a severe illness, stroke, or accident. In addition, a therapist can teach this person therapeutic exercises and show family members how to help
Speech therapist
Speech therapy helps an older person regain or improve their speech.
Nutritionist
A nutritionist provides nutritional counseling services, which may include instructions for preparing meals for those on a restricted diet.
Social Worker
Social workers can help a family member deal with the emotional aspects of illness, help families access community resources, and coordinate support services.
Homemaker and Chore Services
Homemaker or chore services assist older adults with everyday responsibilities such as shopping, cleaning, cooking, and other domestic chores. In many places, government-funded agencies or social service groups provide these services at low or no cost. Private firms also provide such services, and some housewives offer them.
Here are some ways to find the right services for your older relative. Try contacting the following:
■ Area Agency on Aging (AAA)
■ Visiting Nurse Association
■ Social Services department of your local hospital
However, remember that if you hire a homemaker from a private individual, you may be subject to specific legal obligations. For example, you may be required to pay Social Security payroll taxes and ensure that everyone you hire is legally permitted to work in the United States.
Home-Delivered Meals (Meals on Wheels)
Several nutrition programs charge a sliding-scale fee based on your relative’s income; others may want a minimum gift. These services provide meals to elderly people who cannot cook for themselves. Daily deliveries of hot meals are possible. Frozen dinners are sometimes supplied twice a week. Special diets and cultural preferences can be accommodated in some programs. Not only do the programs ensure that your relative is receiving adequate nourishment, but they also provide frequent checks to ensure that your relative is in good health.
Things to Consider for Home Healthcare
Before choosing a home care or home health firm, learn everything about the company and its practices. If more than one agency is available, compare their costs and services. Examine some critical indicators of service quality.
Every excellent agency will make sure of the following:
■ The agency and staff have the appropriate professional credentials and licensing.
■ Those providing care treat the older person with courtesy and respect.
■ The care plan is reviewed and evaluated periodically by supervisors.
■ There is a formal process for recording and acting on complaints.
■ Phone calls are returned in a reasonable amount of time.
■ Your family, your older relative, and their doctor are informed of changes and progress.
■ If a home health aide is ill or fails to show up, another person is sent.
Senior Center Programs
These programs allow senior adults to enjoy healthy meals in a group environment. Some meal programs provide transportation and links to other programs and activities such as health clinics, arts and crafts, films, and fitness activities. Costs are often cheap, and some organizations may require a small donation.
Transportation services
Transportation is essential for senior adults who do not drive. Several localities provide elders with cheap taxi coupons. Special transportation services are offered in many cities to deliver senior adults or those with impairments to the doctor, social events, and occasionally shopping districts. Social assistance organizations, elder centers, or municipal transportation authorities usually provide these services.
Case management or care management services
If, after a thorough medical examination and your analysis, you believe your family member’s care is too difficult for you to handle, you may choose to visit a case manager (also known as a care manager).
Case managers assist in coordinating all areas of a senior adult’s care. They may analyze your family member’s social and emotional requirements, prepare a complete care plan, assist in making the required connections and arrangements, screen providers, and even supervise the plan to ensure its effectiveness.
Even if the responsible family members live in another part of the country, the case manager frequently contacts them. Case managers are often social workers or nurses with senior experience.
Private case managers often charge fees for initial evaluations, follow-up visits to older people, and continuous monitoring services. Nonprofit organizations in certain places provide these services to income-eligible seniors for free. However, the breadth of the program may be limited.
Personal emergency response system
In the case of a fall or an emergency, these technologies allow older individuals to summon assistance. Senior adults frequently wear a radio transmitter. When it is engaged, a message is sent to the nearest hospital or police station, which has the person’s name, address, phone number, and a list of individuals to contact on file. Assistance is dispatched to their house if an adult does not answer an incoming phone call. Some systems are engaged automatically, for example, if a person falls and becomes unconscious.
Important Disclosures
This material is provided for general and educational purposes only and is not investment advice. Your investments should correspond to your financial needs, goals, and risk tolerance. Please consult an investment professional before making any investment or financial decisions or purchasing any financial, securities, or investment-related service or product, including any investment product or service described in these materials.
Portions of this article were sourced from the work of MFS Heritage Planning. Neither MFS nor any of its subsidiaries are affiliated with Optima Capital Management.
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