Care Options for Your Elderly Family Members

Providing care for elderly loved ones can be challenging. You love the seniors in your life, and you want only the best for their health and well-being, but you also have your own life to live and your own family to take care of. So how do you navigate this delicate balancing act, and how can you ensure your parents and grandparents get the care they need to keep them safe and happy?

Despite what many people think, nursing homes and assisted living facilities aren’t the only options. If you’re worried about a senior relative living independently, consider the following as well:

Visiting Nurses

For basic senior care, a visiting nurse may be all your loved one needs. As the name implies, visiting nurses go from place to place, checking in on their clients, taking vital signs, and providing care and support to keep patients safe at home.

Visiting nurses can also serve as a valuable educational resource for primary caregivers, providing expert advice and guidance on everything from medication compliance to healthy eating. If the seniors in your life are still relatively independent but need some support, a visiting nurse could be the perfect solution.

Home Health Aides

Home health aides provide support with daily activities like dressing, bathing, and personal hygiene. If you are worried that your elderly loved ones are not taking care of themselves the way they should be, it may be time to look into a home health aide.

Around-the-Clock Care

If elderly loved ones in your life require 24-hour care, a nursing home isn’t your only option. In-home 24-hour care brings a rotating team of caregivers into the home to provide full-time support. This allows seniors to remain in familiar surroundings while still receiving the care they need.

Adult Day Care Centers

If your loved one is mostly independent but could benefit from social interaction, structured activities, and occasional medical support, an adult day care center could be a wonderful solution. These centers offer daytime supervision, meals, and engaging programs designed to promote physical and mental well-being in a safe setting.

They also give family caregivers a much-needed break during the day, whether for work or personal time. Some centers even offer additional services like physical therapy or medication management.

Insurance Coverage

Many of these care options can be partially or fully covered by long-term care insurance, depending on the policy. Whether it’s help with daily living, skilled nursing, or adult day programs, a long-term care policy can ease the financial burden on families and make it easier to choose the right care.

Caring for elderly family members isn’t always easy, but it’s easier when you know your options. Now that you know what kind of help is available, it may be time to explore long-term care insurance and other support systems. It’s one more thing to do, but one less thing to worry about.

You have access to licensed long-term care specialists that can help you decide if long-term care insurance is right for you and your family. Visit the long-term care insurance page to request a free plan comparison.