Are you staffed with the responsibility of caring for an aging parent? Do you have confidence in every move you are making? Are you beginning to wonder if there is something you could be doing better? Here?s something to keep in mind: there is more than one way to care for an aging parent. What works for you may not work for the next person, and vice versa. This is why you need to deal with every day in the way you best see fit. While it?s never easy to do, there will come a point when you need to ask your aging parent a few key questions. Here are five that could come into play at some point in the near future:
What can I do to help?
Rather than hope you?re doing your best, ask your parent for feedback in regards to the type of assistance they require. For example, if your parent is dealing with Alzheimer?s disease or dementia, he or she may require a special level of care. Make sure you are aware of this and willing to do whatever it takes to provide the proper care.
Do you want to look into the benefits of moving into a nursing home?
This is a difficult conversation to have, especially if you have reason to believe that your parent is against this. Even so, it?s a question that you may want to ask at some point. With more than 15,000 nursing homes scattered throughout the United States, you should be able to find one that provides your parent with everything he or she needs.
Does it make sense to hire someone to provide in-home care?
Although you are doing your best to care for your aging parent, it?s important that you get the help you need. With this in mind, ask your parent if they are okay with home care providing some level of service every now and again. This doesn?t mean you have to hire a full-time nurse. It simply means you are getting your parent the help they need so that he or she can remain in their home for as long as possible.
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What is the best way to pay for the level of care you require?
This can be a difficult question to ask, as you don?t want your parent to think that you are concerned about how much money will be left behind at the time of his or her death. Even so, you need to bring this question to light at some point. While there is more than one way to pay for home care and nursing home care, it doesn?t mean that your parent is interested in or qualifies for each one. Tip: Here is a breakdown of the many ways to pay for nursing home care.
Do you trust your medical team, or do you want to find another doctor?
Some people love everything about their medical team and would never entertain the idea of making a change. There are also people who are more than willing to look for help elsewhere, especially if they believe it can help them feel better. Don?t hesitate to discuss this with your aging parent. You want them to feel good about the care they are receiving. Forget about your own thoughts and opinions for the time being and focus on what is best for your parent. Let them guide you towards the type of medical professional that they are interested in seeing.
Conclusion
These are five of the most important questions to ask an aging parent. You may not ask all of these at once, but there is as chance that they will come to the forefront at some point in the future. It can be a challenge to ask these questions, among others, but you don?t want to shy away. In the end, the only thing that matters is that you do what is best for your parent. Do you have any experience caring for an aging parent? Did you have to ask these questions at some point? What was the response? Share your personal experiences as a caregiver in the comment section below.
