It may be impossible to entirely avoid the pain of aging – in the context of you, a family member or both. But wouldn’t it be nice if you could at least lessen the pain and stress?
I had an encouraging conversation this week with a true leader in the Home Care space who gave me hope that less pain and stress ARE possible in the aging process.* And for a good number of TGIF 2 Minutes readers who may have just spent time with family and friends over Thanksgiving, this topic may be even more timely! Read on… this week’s edition will be short and to the point.
Home Care is what most of us desire for ourselves in our heart of hearts. What does this mean? It means that most of us will want to have the freedom to live in our homes for the entirety of our lives. The reality, however, could turn out to be completely different than desired or imagined – due to lack of planning or more likely the cost of providing ourselves with home care.
When it comes to caring for others such as family members (spouse, parents, grandparents) in their later years, the situation gets even more tricky – because providing care in the home for someone other than yourself is typically super time-consuming, expensive and stressful.
Two simple strategies involve:
- 1. Planning ahead – meaning talking head-on about the topic with family and budgeting early-on (for self and family)
- 2. Finding a quality provider who has real answers to your concerns AND your best interests in mind.
Knowing what questions to ask and simply where to go to get started in the “home care planning process” can greatly lessen the strains on time AND cost. Here are a handful of questions for starters and a resource to consult:
- Why would I need to consider Home Care in the first place?
- What is Home Care and when is it needed?
- How does Home Care differ from Home Health?
- How much does Home Care cost and who is responsible for paying?
- What skills do I get from the Home Care provider?
- How do I care for myself or a loved one with Alzheimer’s?
One resource to consult is Aware Senior Care, Cary NC. Their online resources include simple questions and conversation starters and (local to NC) in-person resources are available simply by asking for an appointment or attending a free information session. Do it, as the saying goes, “While we’re YOUNG!”
*Main Street Financial Solutions LLC is not affiliated with nor receives any compensation from Aware Senior Care. Check out their website at: https://awareseniorcare.com/