You’ve had a basic kind of day, come home from work, cooked dinner for the family, and sat down to the meal. And, then you get a call. Your father has had a stroke. He’s going to be okay, but his speech and cognition are slightly impaired, and he can’t move his left arm or leg. You, one of two siblings in your family and the one who lives the closest to Dad, are now officially in charge of ensuring he gets the best of care. You have a whole mix of complex emotions from sadness to fear to overwhelm and beyond. You’ve already got a full-time job, a house, a spouse, two teenagers of your own and a dog. How in the world are you going to manage all this? Well, what if you didn’t have to manage all this, and Dad would get as good as or better care than you could arrange yourself? While it’s important to be involved and keep a handle on the decision making, maybe you don’t have to deal with absolutely everything including:
Perhaps delegating at least some of the above items to elder care management professionals could bring much needed relief so that you can focus solely on connecting with your father and dealing with the complex emotions of all your family members as they react to the sudden changes in Dad. Not to mention you still need to tend to your own needs and those of your spouse, children and dog. Aging life care management companies do for senior care coordination what a wedding planner/coordinator does for weddings. Aging life care management companies will coordinate with all “vendors” including but not limited to:
Are you already feeling less overwhelmed? Vicki Sherman Doueck, MSW, LCSW, ASWCM, 32-year President and CEO of Generations Counseling and Care Management, LLC in Bergen County, NJ has one such organization. Vicki is a licensed clinical social worker who has loved making senior citizens happy ever since she was a teenager visiting in Miami Beach and frequently took time to listen to elderly men and women talk and tell their stories. Vicki’s company employs a team of social workers, nurses and psychologists to help the aging seniors, their family members and caregivers get accurate assessments and information for getting the right care. What’s the most challenging part of navigating senior care successfully? Vicki notes that there are three things that are particularly troublesome:
Vicki offers the following tips for families:
As a further note on finances, Certified Financial Planner® Theresa Yarosh (AKA “The Retirement Sherpa”) adds that the three most important things to have in old age to ease the burden on families are:
At Generations, Vicki’s team of social workers, nurses and psychologists are adept at speaking with seniors on the complex subject of getting proper care. In fact, seniors will often discuss things with Generations’ staff members that they might not talk about with their own family members. This is a major part of the service at Generations, easing stress on the families and helping the patient feel more comfortable with the transition process into care and/or into rehabilitation services. “I grew up around my grandparents and great grandmother, so being around older adults literally feels like home to me. I’ve been working with seniors, lifting their spirits, all my life in a way,” says Vicki. She also says that since her firm doesn’t affiliate or accept commissions from any elder care facility or service provider, Generations Counseling and Care Management is positioned to give the most objective advice to families whose loved one needs care. For more information on Generations Counseling and Care Management, go to www.generations-llc.com.
2 Comments
Robert Doueck
1/1/2020 10:44:29 am
Excellent article...succinct, informative and very real...
Reply
1/12/2023 12:20:42 am
Such an informative post, live in caretaker, We’re here to help with the everyday needs of the elderly community to give you peace of mind that your loved ones are being taken care of. For many years, Polish Helping Hands has provided personal care, overnight stays, and even housekeeping services.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
September 2024
CATEGORIES
All Food And Wine Arts And Entertainment Fashion And Shopping Activities, Education & Camp Legal & Financial Services Marketing Real Estate And Insurance Health And Fitness Home Improvement Elder Care |