It can be difficult caring for elderly parents long distance, oftentimes feeling like there is nothing that you can do to help them with their daily activities and well-being. But this is not completely true, there are many ways that you can still help out your parents with everything from financial decisions and legal issues to insurance claims and emergency basics.
Tips for Long-Distance Caregiving
Even if you live a long distance away from your parents, there are still many tips that can help assist with caring for aging parents from a distance. You can assist with a plan of care that covers everything from financial issues to in-home care.
One of the best tips is to have regular communication with your parents so you can understand their physical and mental condition and what needs they have. It is also essential for them to maintain their safety and independence so make sure to let them continue to live their lives in the manner they see fit as long as it is done in a safe manner.
- Challenges of Long-Distance Caregiving
Of course, the most obvious challenge of long-distance caregiving is that you are not right there to assist your parents with whatever needs that may arise. As such, communication is key so you know what they need for their care. If your parents are in an assisted-living facility or nursing home, you may want to have power of attorney so you can have legal authority to make decisions on their care in coordination with the staff at these facilities.
You may also not be able to get to your parents immediately should they need help so it is essential to find travel alternatives such as a caregiver support group or a health care proxy that can assist with care management until you get there. You may also wish to utilize community resources for assistance with medical equipment and activities to keep seniors active.
- Essential Tips for Effective Long-Distance Caregiving
One of the most essential long-distance caregiving tips is to have advance care planning for as many contingencies as possible. This can include having your parents create a living will or trust so that their preferences and directives are followed in case of an emergency. If you are the primary caregiver, this can ensure that their preferences are carried out until your care commute is completed.
Another tip for long distance care is to have a family meeting with your parents and any siblings that you may have to delegate geriatric care management responsibilities such as who needs to deal with Medicare and who needs to be a bill payer or representative payee. This can help prevent caregiver burnout.
- Finding Reliable Local Support for your Loved One
Reliable local support can come in many different forms. It could be family friends or your parent’s neighbors who are able to check in on them every once in a while and assist with things such as disposal of spoiled food.
However, you may want professional help in caring for your elderly parents. Elder care in Philadelphia comes in many different forms such as senior housing like assisted living facilities and nursing homes or in-home care. In-home care provides the benefit of your parents being able to stay in the comfort of their own home under the care of a skilled, trained professional caregiver.
- Utilizing Technology for Long-Distance Caregiving
Modern technology can do wonders for long distance caregiving allowing you to have more communication with your parents. Video call software such as skype allows you to have face-to-face communication with each other and your informal network of people assisting with care. Furthermore, technology can increase safety with things such as an emergency call button or the internet as an eldercare locator.
- Communication Strategies for Long-Distance Caregiving
Having a strategy to communicate with your aging network can prove essential for things such as making health care decisions. It may be useful to have a regularly scheduled video or phone call to discuss your parents lives and their caregiving needs. This can assist with information coordination, medigap insurance, money management and joint-ownership issues.
Furthermore, having your parents or their caregiver keep a care log can help keep you informed and confident that they are healthy and getting the requisite care.
Making the Most of Visits and Quality Time with your Loved Ones
Finally, one of the most essential caregiving tips is to make the most of your visits and to spend quality time with your parents whenever you get to see them. When you have the chance to visit, you can ensure that they are happy, healthy, and well-cared for. You can also decide if there are relocation issues such as you needing to move closer to them.
Safety and comfort for seniors is essential but while you’re there, don’t forget caregiver self-care. While you may be one of the family caregivers, you are there to spend quality time with your parents so make sure you talk to them and do fun activities with them, not just worry about their physical and mental health.
Hire a Home Care Agency
If you need full-time care, part-time care, or respite care for your elderly parents, New Beginnings Home Care Agency provides the best in-home care for elderly individuals in the Philadelphia area. Our caregivers are highly trained, have verifiable in-home care, and meet strict employment standards so you can have peace of mind knowing that your parents are well-cared for, no matter how far away you live. If you need elderly full-time care or house call services, contact New Beginning today.