Who Should Care For Elderly Family Members

There is no one answer to the question, “Who should care for elderly family members.” It depends on the situation, the needs of the loved one in question, and the skillsets of those involved. However, optimizing an aging loved one’s safety, security, independence, and social engagement depends on establishing a long-term care plan and a caregiving team - in whatever form that takes.

Tips To Choose Who Should Take Care Of Elderly Family Members

The earlier you begin answering this question, the better the care plan. For example, we recommend that clients and families start creating a long-term care plan before they need it—or at the very first signs that their parent or grandparent needs extra support. Waiting too long means making decisions in the midst of crisis and emotional upset, and that does not typically yield the most thoughtful or best choices.

Similarly, the sooner you create a long-term senior care plan, the more input you can have from the person who’s most involved - your mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, etc. - and their wishes should always be honored in any way possible.

When to start planning for senior care

It’s never too early to begin thinking about what you want in terms of senior care. There is no predictable future, so a thoughtful long-term care plan accommodates varying scenarios. 

If a long-term care plan isn’t already in place, these are some of the clear signs it’s time to create one. 

• The initial diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or dementia
• Age-related changes affecting mobility.
• Vision changes that will eventually prohibit driving privileges (like glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy, etc.
• Experiencing a TIA, mini-stroke, or stroke.
• Inability to prepare/eat healthy meals without support (fridge and cupboards look bare, existing foods are past expiration dates, a lack of fresh, nutritious food, or you notice unusual weight loss).
• There is medication left over - or there isn’t enough medication to last through - when the prescription is renewed (a sign they need medication management support).
• Your loved one struggles to keep up with incontinence care.
• There is a clear lack of organization, cleanliness, clean laundry, etc., in their home.

Daily tasks become challenging as we age. A proactive care plan is proactive about providing support. In addition to helping your loved one age in place with comfort, dignity, and the ability to do the things they love, a care plan helps prevent unnecessary but inevitable accidents. 

Putting an (un)official care team in place for your elderly family members

Creating a care team requires communication between clients, their spouses, and close family members. Depending on the needs at the time, most care for elderly family members includes:

Family members

The go-to solution has traditionally been spouse and family caregivers. However, this isn't always ideal depending on the family and household. For example, if one spouse still works to provide much-needed income or to continue health insurance coverage, others may need to be brought in to provide daytime support.

NOTE: Did you know that a spouse or family caregiver may qualify to earn a small income while caring for a loved one? It’s worth looking into if financial hardship prevents someone from getting the care they deserve.

Even in cases where spouses or family members are happy to provide full-time care, caregiver fatigue, and burnout are inevitable if they don’t get much-needed breaks or vacations. In the world of caregiving, we call this respite care, which can be provided by other family members, friends, or professional caregivers.

Start by speaking to family members who live close by and see who is interested and what they can offer with a willing and open heart. Honor people where they’re at. List what’s needed and see where people feel called to help. Then, create a schedule of rotating shifts and support.

Those who can’t or won’t help out in person should be respected as well. They may be able to help out in other ways, like providing funds for caregivers, meal services, transportation, etc.

Bay Area senior care resources

The Bay Area has a wide range of resources for Bay Area seniors living alone or aging couples. From transportation services and senior centers with calendars jam-packed with fun to adult daycare facilities and meal delivery, there is a good chance some of your loved one’s needs can be taken care of by the community, making it easier for spouse and family caregivers to fill in the gaps.

Transitioning to assisted living or nursing home

AARP’s latest figures find that nearly 90% of all aging adults would prefer to age in their own homes with the right resources in place. However, that isn’t always possible, and the other 10% would rather live in a community offering assisted living services. 

If your loved one lives in an assisted living or nursing home community, keep in mind that you can hire homecare aides to optimize their experience and ensure they’re reaping the benefits and services offered by the facility. Having their own private companion can automatically increase the quality of care they receive from the professionals where they live because those professionals know someone is paying close attention.

Hospice care

People mistakenly associate hospice care with “giving up” or “being willing to die.” In fact, hospice care teams provide invaluable support for those facing a life-ending diagnosis, those who’ve opted to cease treatment, or those with dementia who can no longer take care of themselves. Hospice supports their clients and the client's families, providing an entire team (nurses, aids, chaplain/spiritual support, social services and counseling, volunteers, etc.) and can improve quality of life.

Professional senior in-home care providers to care for elderly family memebers

Professional senior care professionals provide invaluable support to Bay Area seniors and their families. We can help out in a myriad of ways. In the beginning, to make your senior loved one more comfortable and build rapport, we might start by coming one or two days a week to provide light housekeeping, laundry, and linen changes. Or they might like us to do some grocery shopping and meal/snack preparation.

We can also provide respite care to give primary caregivers a break, or we’re happy to come on board for part-time, overnight, or full-time shifts. In most cases, working with a professional caregiving agency in some capacity allows seniors to age gracefully in their own homes while maintaining healthy and socially engaged lives.

Schedule A Free In-Home Assessment With HomeAide Home Care

Would you like support in creating a long-term care plan that addresses an aging loved one’s needs now and into the future? Would you like recommendations on the level of care that makes the most sense for recent occurrences? Schedule a free, in-home assessment with HomeAide Home Care. There is no obligation, and the information you glean may be exactly what you need to make more informed choices about who should care for elderly family members - and how.

We look forward to meeting with you and helping you learn more about us and other Bay Area senior resource providers.