Thanks to the many attendees (at my Atlanta & Florida presentations) who shared their favorite resources in caring for aging loved ones. Below is our composite list.
1. Contact your Area Agency on Aging (AAA), the starting point to find trusted senior services in any part of the country. This site is maintained by the U.S. Administration
on Aging. By putting in a zip code or city name, you can obtain the contact
information for any Area Agency on Aging. To find the Area Agency in your parent's area, click here or call 1-800-677-1116. (NOTE: Services include a hotline, resource center, and referrals in your community.)
2. Begin to visit area senior living communities
(in non-crisis mode) even if you think your parent will never need or want one. I learned something very important during my speaking tour. Many quality communities offer no-cost educational seminars and can provide contact information to "local" trusted geriatric care managers, elder law attorneys, elder mediators, etc. The Executive Directors I met shared that they care more about helping families find the right solution for their parents....even if it means they choose not to live in their community.
3. VA Aid & Attendance Benefit. This is a "pension benefit" and not dependent
upon service-related injuries. Aid and Attendance can help pay for care in the
home, nursing home, or assisted living for the veteran and spouse. Contact your Area Agency on Aging for referral to a professional who can help you with the application process. Here are the 2011 benefit rates:
- Up to $1,644 per month for a single veteran
- Up to $1,949 per month for a married veteran or a veteran with one dependent
- Up to $1,057 per month for an un-remarried widowed surviving spouse
4. Adult Day Services or Senior Center.
Start NOW by checking out the wonderful options of Senior Center or Adult Day Services. These two options can help your parent and you! Both offer wonderful social interaction, and Adult Day Services are an affordable alternative to those who can't or don't want to move into an Assisted Living Community. Some senior living communities now offer Adult Day. And, you get a few hours, worry-free time for you. Find the right one for your parent by contacting your AAA.
5. Support Groups. Consider both face-to-face support groups and
online groups. There are pros and cons to each format. The face-to-face groups
provide a sense of belonging which can be helpful in dealing with the isolation
in day-to-day caregiving. You can be with other people who can understand and
empathize with your experiences and emotions, and even share tips and coping
strategies. The online
groups provide a certain sense of anonymity. You can post any time of the day. Sometimes
just the act of posting, allowing you to vent, can make you feel better. Also,
most of the online groups offer a facilitator who will offer suggestions and
guidance. Ask your AAA for in-person groups. To find an online support group, click here.
I hope these resources are helpful. Within the next month, I will write a new blogpost, featuring the rest of the great ideas I learned about at my presentations!
Media Review -
Another great video show from colleague Dr. Jamie Huysman, leading expert on caregiver compassion fatigue.
If you want to feel refreshed and uplifted, take 2 minutes to watch this amazing mix of quotes, photographs and music.
The first quote says it all, "Life is not about waiting for storms to pass....It's about learning how to dance in the rain."
To view Dr. Jamie's video, click here.
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