Council on Aging Senior Guide 2012 - 21

COUNCIL ON AGING ORANGE COUNTY

The Family Caregiver: When to Hire, What to Expect
For those who become caregivers of an aging parent, the care giving responsibilities may come along suddenly – the day your parent can no longer drive due to a medical condition, or perhaps gradually as you come to the realization that your once active and independent parent needs your assistance with managing finances, grocery shopping, medications and other things. Very often, caregivers are not prepared for the care giving experience. It’s sometimes easier to avoid the subject when speaking to our parents and it’s often difficult to admit that our parents won’t be around forever. However, communicating and being prepared can help you enjoy the most quality time and healthy relationships with your older parents as they reach the later stages of life. Gathering Important Information It is important to have all of your parent’s pertinent information together in one place: full name, date of birth, social security number, copies of Medicare card and other insurance cards. Create a list of all the medications your parent is taking, including the name, dosage, and how often they are taken. List your parent’s primary care doctor and any specialists being seen as well. It is also helpful to be familiar with your parent’s daily routine and abilities concerning bathing, dressing, eating, walking and continence. Monitor mental status and encourage your parent to be evaluated if signs of dementia are present. Some medical conditions can cause symptoms that mimic other forms of dementia. Hiring Professional Help At some point, your care giving responsibilities may become just too much for you to manage or just not feasible to work into your schedule, and you may eventually need to bring in outside help. Realizing you need some help on either a short-term or long-term basis is the first step. Next, you’ll need to understand your options to help you determine just what type of help you need, how to choose a professional care service, how much it costs, and whether or not Medicare will pay for it.
Council On Aging-Orange County | 714-479-0107 | www.coaoc.org Senior Guide OC 2012

Non-Medical Home Care One option for support and assistance is non-medical in-home care. This may be the right place for you to start if your older parent needs help with things such as light housekeeping, meal preparation, medication reminders, transportation, and assistance with bathing, dressing, mobility and other safety supervision. In Orange County costs for such professional services can vary widely from about $17 to $23 per hour depending on the company and level of care needed. There are many reputable non-medical home care companies to choose from. Call at least three and ask some basic questions before setting up an in-person appointment. Be sure that the company employs its caregivers, rather than hiring them as contractors. Be sure the company is covering payroll taxes and worker’s compensation insurance for all their employees, as well as liability insurance. Make sure their caregivers have passed a background check, are fingerprinted, and are bonded.

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Council on Aging Senior Guide 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Council on Aging Senior Guide 2012