There are an estimated 41.8 million unpaid caregivers in the U.S. Almost 60% of them are caring for an aging parent. The average length of care is almost four years, so it’s not a short-term situation for many families. These are important facts to remember during long-term awareness month.
How Is Your Mom’s Health?
Does your mom have current health issues? Some of the more prevalent chronic health conditions include high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, dementia, and arthritis. While your mom may do some things independently, there are other areas where she’ll need long-term care if she plans to age at home.
Health issues like dementia may not require much care at first. As it progresses, your mom will need increasing care. She’ll start needing someone to drive her around and help her with shopping and errands. She’ll need assistance cleaning her home, cooking meals, and doing the laundry.
As the disease advances, your mom will need advanced care. You may need to look beyond companion care services and add personal care and even home health care.
Your mom may not have a chronic health condition at all. She might just live alone and not have many family members in the area. Companion care at-home aides can stop by and see how she’s doing. They can join her for a meal, so that she’s not eating alone every day. They can join her on walks or take her to a local attraction for a fun outing.
Stop and consider how long she’s going to need care. If she falls and breaks her leg, she might only need help around her home for a month or two. With a health issue like Alzheimer’s disease, she may need help for five or ten years. People with Parkinson’s disease may need help for 20+ years.
Who Is Available to Help?
Do any family members have free time each week? If your mom needs long-term care due to health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, or Alzheimer’s, who would have the time to help her with daily activities?
Keep a list of the things she needs help completing. From there, build a schedule in a calendar app. People can view the daily schedule, see who will stop by to help, and offer assistance if no one else is free.
Arrange Companion Care Services for the Gaps
Support your mom as she ages and her health and mobility change. Hire companion care at home to ensure she has someone with her as often as she needs. Her caregiver can help her with housework, take her shopping, and cook meals. Learn more by calling a companion care at-home specialist.
If you or an aging loved one is considering home care in Jacksonville, FL, please contact the caring staff at Companion & Compassion today. 904-502-9052
- Why is Post-hospital Care Important for Mental and Emotional Health? - April 12, 2023
- Personal Care at Home Supports Senior’s Oral Health - March 20, 2023
- What Can Patients Expect from Skilled Nursing Care at Home? - March 8, 2023
