Caregiver Assistance
Caregiver education, Family Caregiver
Financial Considerations
Families often underestimate the financial cost of caregiving. When planning for this responsibility, it’s important that you involve not only the person you care for, but other family members too, if possible. Make smart use of family resources and other programs by checking out your options and making decisions in advance.
Start by making a list of possible expenses that may be incurred, such as:
- Traveling to provide assistance Long-distance phone calls
- Medical expenses, including surgeries, therapies and medications Housekeeping services
- Personal care nursing services such as bathing Special clothing, including elderly incontinence products Adult day care or respite care
- Home care, medical equipment or adaptations that enable the person to remain at home Alternatives to home living arrangements
Once you’ve calculated potential expenses, how will they be covered? This requires open and honest communication among everyone. If necessary, ask a third party to help guide the discussions – a social worker, a spiritual advisor or other experienced facilitator.
Some programs require income information, so you will need records on Social Security, pensions, interest, dividends, net rent and other income. Look into public and private benefits that might be available, such as:
Supplemental Security Income (SSI, Community Options Program (COP) and Medicare or Medicaid – medical care for eligible disabled older adults Private benefits, including insurance. Remember, the best caregiver advice is to involve more people, peferably the community, in the caregiving of the individual.
May 30th, 2009 at 11:55 pm
[...] Keep hassles and small details in perspective. If the carpet doesn’t get vacuumed today, dinner is served later than usual or the laundry waits until tomorrow, that’s OK. Need time for personal affairs, to get rest or to simply take a break? Seek out respite care, a voluntary or paid service that can tend to a loved one for a few hours or several weeks. Most cities have programs that offer caregiver assistance. [...]
May 30th, 2009 at 11:56 pm
[...] Caregivers demonstrate love and commitment and strengthen relationships to everyone around them. The responsibilities and role of a caregiver can range from around-the-clock supervision to weekly visits or calls. The duties of a caregiver have a wide range of roles such as supervising of others who provide care and offering caregiver assistance. [...]
May 30th, 2009 at 11:57 pm
[...] injured. That will not help you or the care recipient. There are caregiver agencies that offer good caregiver assistance to those who need such [...]