‘Senior care”, “Physically Impaired”, “Deteriorating Mental Condition”, “Vascular Dementia”, “Baby Boomers”, “Sandwich generation” – odd medical terminology mixed with hot topics of our media, are suddenly becoming your reality. The day you recognized distant medical diagnosis as your parents’ illness; the day you found yourself in funny sounding category of the population, has marked the beginning of new era: The time has come to take care of the people who brought you into this world.  I come across as using  big flashy words. However, the moment is big. Your status  has metamorphosed. You have become a care giver. That’s an  occupation you  know n0thing about. You have no previous experience; no resume is needed. Yet, take my word for it – that is the job of a lifetime. All your inner capabilities are about to be put through the following tests: your courage, your patience,your spirit, your judgment, and even your sense of humor.

My experience in senior care has started as the personal one. That is not an atypical situation.  I can’t say that my mother’s Alzheimer changed the field of my occupation. Yet my personal story certainly affects my professional life. The approach to senior care care was quite different in those days. There were fewer options.  Geriatric care managers didn’t appear quiet yet. There was no wide range of home care agencies. Essentially, there was virtually no one you could turn to for advice.  Alzheimer disease itself wasn’t as well known as it is today. Consequently, when I realized that  my mom could no longer live alone , a  nursing home  began to sound  as a suitable outcome. I’ll never forget my desperate search for a decent one I could afford.  Did  I have  doubts regarding the move ? Certainly. That’s  precisely what I had referred to at the beginning of this article . The judgment was poor, the courage was lacking. “It would be so good to have nice person in the house with Mom…”  That thought kept reappearing in my mind. But  there was no support and I backed off.

Don’ get me wrong, I’m not trying to say that the care was poor . What I wanted, was for it to be personal. In fact what had become clear was that the the only crucial things that nursing   homes didn’t seem to provide were: A personal touch and continuity. It wasn’t deliberate. It  just wasn’t in “their love map”.  Nursing home  were clearly geared as homes for the masses.What I wanted  was a true  home for an individual. “There is no place like home”., concept firmly planted its roots in my head. The concept seemed to be especially true when any part of the body or mind declines.

Ladies and gentlemen, fellow caregivers, presence of spirit and patience might come in handy. Finding the right  caregiver   is no easy job.  Yet,  to me  this was the  only path to take. Succeeding in  home care, making it personal  led to amazing rewards : Optimal care for your parent and,  and crucial  peace of mind for yourself.

It’s no secret  that I’m passionate supporter of home care. At times the passion carries me away. Consequently, I  have neglected to mention the difference in cost. That difference is tremendous. However, even if you are so well off that you can spread money like confetti, choose the home care road.  The care of your loved ones are  will be hand crafted to satisfy their needs as well as your wishes.  In return, you will receive the reward of satisfaction and true  joy.

Good luck!

Popularity: 62%

Kim Charles:I began my career as a Registered Dietitian and worked in several different healthcare settings.  Through my varied experiences, I found that I especially enjoyed working with older adults.  In order to be better-equipped to help individuals and families with the issues of Aging, I returned to college to earn my Masters degree in Social Work (MSW).
All of my work experience as a social worker has been with the Area Agency on Aging.  I have experience in Guardianship, Advocacy and Case Management.  My role as a Geriatric Care Manager allows me to be very client-centered in my approach.  It is rewarding to help people navigate the wide range of benefits and services related to Aging.

Silver Boomerang: How can a Care Manager improve the situation for family with an aging loved one?
Kim Charles: My goal as a Care Manager is to give my clients as much choice as possible.  Ideally, Care Management is a team approach involving the Care recipient, their family, medical professionals and other interested parties.  The Care Manager’s unique qualifications help him/her to coordinate information and planning efforts among those involved with the Care recipient.  By being proactive and taking an informed look at options, we can often come up with a plan of Care that captures at least most of the client’s goals.

I try to involve families as much as possible.  Many of my clients are adult children who live away from the area where their parents reside.  The stresses of long-distance care-giving can be eased to some extent by finding a trusted Care Manager who will “check-in” on the Aging loved one and is available to advocate for their specific needs.  Care Managers are familiar with area resources and can make informed recommendations for family members about services such as home care, senior housing, and local healthcare providers.

Silver Boomerang: What is the most important among often overlooked benefits of home care?
Kim Charles: Not every client desires to remain in their home as care needs increase, but many do want to live at home.  It may be obvious, but one of the biggest benefits of a familiar setting is that it is familiar.  Even the best-planned transitions can be stressful and somewhat disorienting especially to older people.  Sometimes the placement of a few strategic supports in the home setting can make it quite possible to “age-in-place”.  Another benefit is that home care is often more cost-effective than an institutional setting.

Silver Boomerang: What would you recommend as a coping mechanism to those who are caring at home for advanced stages of Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s?
Kim Charles:I have considerable respect and sympathy for caregivers.  Caregivers often find themselves fulfilling roles for which they have had no formal training.  I try to be familiar with area Caregiver Support Groups and educational opportunities for caregivers.  My agency has a Family Caregiver Support Program.  I often make referrals to that program.  Local chapters of Alzheimer’s associations, and other organizations affiliated with specific diseases or disorders can provide helpful resources.  As a Care Manager, I try to give caregivers “permission” to take a break to care for themselves.  This is a must for their own physical and emotional health; but it is hard to do.

Popularity: 12%