Our team here at Exchange UR Care understands that getting old isn’t just a challenge for national governments, policymakers, and healthcare providers to solve. Whether it’s a friend, family member, or even yourself, you cannot escape it. It affects everyone!
Remaining in good health as an older adult requires much more than what medication and treatment alone have to offer. That’s why our team has created a list of 7 at home tips below, and some accompanying resources, to help you care for older adults and loved ones.
1. Keep Care at Home if Possible
Try to find care providers, like our team at Exchange UR Care, who are willing to provide care for your loved one outside a hospital setting and in the safety and familiarity of the home. For some care providers this may mean home visits, for others it could mean telehealth appointments which our team can provide!
Resource: Our team offers plenty of resources for older adults and their loved ones who are seeking home care options. Check out our caregiving checklists for home safety and educate yourself before choosing us as your in-home care agency. Click Here for Our Free Download
2. Coordinate Your Care
Our team believes in planning the work and then working the plan. Try to coordinate services among all those providing care for your loved one—both formal and informal. This means everyone from the primary care physician to the person who may come in once a week to clean the house. Let us be your one stop shop for at home care! Here at Exchange UR Care, our team specializes in home care and supportive services that provide the necessary care for disabled adults, elderly, chronically ill and recovering adults.
Resource: Helpful is the issue brief on care coordination published by the Eldercare Workforce Alliance last year, which summarizes emerging challenges and opportunities for coordinating elder care services which our team aims at helping. With years of experience, we specialize in home care and supportive services that provide the necessary care for disabled adults, elderly, chronically ill and recovering adults. Contact Us Today
3. Enable Social Inclusion and Activities
Our team at Exchange UR Care believes getting older should not change your lifestyle. Create opportunities for your loved one to play an active role in your family and in your community. Isolation can be a major cause of emotional distress for older people.
Resources: This article, penned recently for US News and World Report, features opportunities for seniors to continue working socially fulfilling jobs beyond retirement. Vive Health has also compiled a list of 110 activities for engaging older adults and loved ones.
4. Create a Safe Environment
Safety is key. Make sure the environment in which your loved one lives encourages their independence and autonomy, mitigates and risk of injury or harm, and feels like a personalized home environment.
Resources: This can be a daunting task for anyone to carry that weight. That is why our team is here to help! Print out our Home Safety Checklist. Click Here for Our Free Download
5. Know Your Insurance Options
Explore long term care insurance options in detail and find the one that is right for your situation.
Resources: The National Institute on Aging has compiled a comprehensive guide to paying for long term care that includes a cost of care calculator. You can also contact us directly for more information on your options. Contact Us Today
6. Learn and Practice Mindful Communication
Communication is key! Don’t be afraid to have what can be a tough conversation about end of life care with your loved one. Make use of the tools and resources available online to talk with your loved one about the kind of treatment they receive and where they would like to receive it.
Resources: Browse the toolkits created by The Conversation Project, an initiative “dedicated to helping people talk about their wishes for end-of-life care.”
7. Educate Yourself
Our team at Exchange UR Care are experts in our industry. We believe you should be too. Try to keep up to date with the latest innovations in elder care and best practices in long term care.
Resources: Explore the list of educational resources for older adults and their caregivers collated by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. For best practices, consult the intervention summaries—complete with information that “can be readily disseminated and replicated at the community level”—published by the Administration for Community Living. The Aging Life Care Association offers consumer resources organized by category, as does the National Council on Aging.