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Smart Home Modifications to Enhance Safety, Independence and Comfort for Seniors in McLean

Let’s face; most modern homes aren’t designed especially for a senior adult living in McLean. There are many lurking risks and hazards in your home that can hinder the safety, comfort, and independence of your loved older adult. That’s why trips and falls are the leading reasons why older adults lose mobility and independence.

Get this:

An American senior is taken to ER every 11 seconds because of a fall
1 in 4 senior adults (65+) in the US trips or falls every year
Even worse, an older adult succumbs to fall injuries in America every 19 minutes

Against these eye-opening statistics, it’s crucial to carry out some home modifications to reduce fall risk and make your home a great fit for your older loved one. Good thing, AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) has prepared a super handy home modification guide for seniors.

In this article, we are going to walk you through important highlights of the AARP’s HomeFit Guide.

What’s the HomeFit Guide?

It’s what it sounds like – a comprehensive guide of home modifications you can make to “proof” your home for senior adults. The primary goal of the guide is to ensure that all homes in the US are suitable for everyone, no matter their physical ability and age. It covers just about any modification you can execute on home to boost safety, comfort and independence for seniors, from task lighting and shower head adjustment to door levers and drawer pulls.

If you aren’t already familiar with the organization, AARP is an interest group based in the US with close to 40 million members worldwide. Its core mission is to support and empower those who opt to live their lives after retirement.

Highlights of HomeFit Guide by AARP

We’ll touch on a few pages/sections that you need to pay particular attention to when thinking of home modifications for seniors.

The Room-by-Room HomeFit Tour (Pg. 4)

This all-around tour takes you through every room in a senior-friendly home, from room to room as well as the outside. This way, you can see each modification that is required and what every room will look like once modified. In fact, the tour explains what you’d find in such a fit home that’s designed to be accessible to all, especially seniors.

Home Fitness for Specific Needs (Pg. 12)

This section thoroughly covers home modifications that’ll make your house livable and user-friendly regardless of age. You can expect clear examples of things like great lighting for aging seniors eyes as well as how to make everything easy to reach for them.

Use This, Not That (Pg. 14)

This section comes with a visually-rich shopping guide that makes it easy to find and shop for hardware, fixtures, and other items you need to bolster the safety of your house. It also explains briefly why these items are superior over conventional ones.

Your HomeFit “To Do” Lists (Pg. 16)

This is a simple and easy to understand yet comprehensive checklist of all home modifications. It places them into two categories: (1) those that call for hiring a contractor/handyman, and (2) modifications you can do yourself (DIY). Furthermore, it provides you with nifty tips for hiring the right handyman/contractor for the job.

Resources (Pg. 22)

This section presents three useful online resources for you: NAHB.org, AARP.org/livable, and AOTA.org.

Of course, that isn’t all there’s to HomeFit guide. It also includes a set of quizzes to help your senior’s house, as well as money savings on cooling/heating bills, info about certified aging-in-place experts and occupational therapists, just to name a few.

April 11, 2019 admin Uncategorized No comments

Caregiver Tips for Protecting Older Adults against Financial Scams and Fraud

Today, more than 70 percent of the wealth in the US is in the hands of senior adults aged 50 and above. Unfortunately, elder financial abuse (read: fraud and scams) has been on the rise in recent years. In fact, according to a glaring report by Bloomberg, American seniors lose an average of a whopping $37 billion annually to an array of fraud schemes and scams, including online scammers, telephone pitchers, “gold diggers”, and even ill-mannered family members.

Take Marjorie Jones, an 82-year-old Texan, for instance. She ended up committing suicide after “sweepstake” fraudsters conned her of every penny she had. Stories like that of Marjorie Jones are all too common, and will likely to become more rampant in today’s increasingly digital world.

As a caregiver in Alexandria, you’re at a vantage position to protect seniors from financial fraud and scams. Here are six tips that might come in handy.

#1. Make Sure to Check their Credit History Yearly

This is especially important for family caregivers who are usually busy and can’t keep track of their older loved one’s daily spending and financials. Ensure to get your hands on a copy of your senior adult’s credit report once a year. The good thing is that the 3 major credit reporting bureaus – namely Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian – allow you to get a copy for free once every year. Once you have the copy, sit down and go through the report together to fish out any discrepancies and signs of financial fraud.

If there seems to be an error in the report, rectify it immediately and report any fraud to relevant authorities.

#2. Be There Always

Stay connected and get involved in your older adult’s life. This will help you stay on top of their financials and potentially protect your older loved one from the risks linked to loneliness and isolation, most notably gambling, scams, and fraud.

#3. Invest in a Shredder

It might sound trivial, but a shredder can make a huge difference. You senior will be able to shred all unwanted financial statements, receipts, credit card offers, and other things that make them susceptible to fraud.

#4. Stay in the Know of your Senior’s Acquaintances, Romance, and Friendships

New friends and romantic partners can help keep stress, loneliness, and isolation at bay from your older adult’s life. However, they can also be an avenue for scammers and fraudsters. Beware of new friends or romantic partners who seem to be more interested in the senior’s finances than developing a healthy relationship.

#5. Be on the Lookout for Any Sign of Financial Fraud

It can be hard to tell, but there are many signs that can help you zero in on elder financial abuse early. These signs include:

Withdrawal of huge amounts by an otherwise frugal adult person
Sudden frequent visits to ATM
Sudden inability to pay bills
Sudden increase in collection calls

The list goes on and on. It’s best to trust your instinct.

#6. Educate your Older Loved about Social Media and Online Fraud

Online scams targeted at seniors is on an uptick. That’s why you need to teach your loved one about social media and online frauds that they might fall prey to. Intimate them with key red flags like fake friends, overseas wire transfer, Western Union transfers, etc.

April 2, 2019 admin Uncategorized No comments

What You Need to Know About Pneumonia in the Elderly: the Causes, Symptoms, Prevention, and Treatment

Seniors are more susceptible to pneumonia than any other group, especially during cold and flu season. So, if you care for an older loved one, it’s crucial to understand this life-threatening illness. In this article, we’ll walk you through important details you need to know about pneumonia in the elderly, from its symptoms to how it can be prevented.

What’s Pneumonia?

Pneumonia is a respiratory condition that’s characterized by the infection of the lungs. This causes inflammation of the air sacs which then are filled with pus and fluid. A person suffering from pneumonia often experience a wheezing cough, shortness of breath, chills, and fever.

What Causes Pneumonia?

There are two types of pneumonia: contagious and non-contagious. The former can be passed from one person another through sneezing or coughing. When you breathe in air containing microscopic virus, fungi or bacteria, it’ll cause an infection in your lungs. Non-contagious (aspiration) pneumonia is caused when fluid or food accidentally goes down the windpipe and lounges into the lungs breeding an infection.

Other forms of pneumonia include:

Hospital-acquired pneumonia
Healthcare-acquired pneumonia (quite rampant among seniors)

What are the Risk Factors for Pneumonia?

There are myriads of factors that contribute to the development of pneumonia. The most common ones include:

Difficulty Swallowing: Seniors who have found it difficult swallowing because of neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, dementia or stroke are often vulnerable to aspiration pneumonia.

Age: Kids under 2 and older adults over 65 are more prone to pneumonia

Smoking: Smokers are at a greater risk of contracting pneumonia than non-smokers.

Hospitalization: Using breathing equipment can increase the chances of being exposed to pneumonia-causing germs.

Pre-existing Conditions: Seniors with chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, and decreased immune system are at a greater risk of pneumonia.

What are the Symptoms of Pneumonia?

Pneumonia in older adults run a gamut from mild to severe, with the most typical symptoms including:

Difficulty breathing
A wheezing cough especially with pus or phlegm
Pain in the chest when coughing or breathing
Chills, sweating, and fever
Reduced oxygen levels in the blood
Diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea
Fatigue and prolonged tiredness
Increased falls, confusion, and inability to function normally are other symptoms that are particularly seen in the elderly.

How Is Pneumonia Treated?

If you or your loved one has experienced any or all of the above symptoms, please seek medical help immediately. A doctor will order a battery of tests, including blood, CT-scans, chest x-rays, sputum analysis, and lung fluid culture. Pneumonia is typically treated using antibiotics, painkillers, and anti-inflammatories. If pneumonia is too severe, the senior may have to be hospitalized and monitored for a few days.

How to Prevent Pneumonia in Seniors?

The good news is that there are a number of ways you can safeguard your senior loved one against pneumonia:

Avoid or quit smoking
Embrace a lifestyle that boosts the immune system
Get your loved one vaccinated against flu and other germs that can potentially infect the lungs
Keep track of vitals closely

February 28, 2019 admin Medicaid, Senior Care No comments

4 Crucial Questions to Ask When Buying or Renting Durable Medical Equipment Through Medicare

Is your senior loved one in need of durable medical equipment (DME) such as a hospital bed, oxygen equipment, electric wheelchair or other home medical equipment? The truth is, buying or renting them when your senior loved one has Medicare can be a complicated and confusing, if not downright daunting process. That’s why we have put together the following 4 crucial questions you need to ask the supplier before making a rental or purchase. Make sure you get thorough answers to avoid getting into trouble with coverage or shelling more money than you should.

Question #1. Are You Under Contract With Competitive Bidding Program?

Medicare kick-started the Competitive Bidding Program back in 2003 to help those in need of durable medical equipment on two fronts:

Make sure that high-quality DMEs are available throughout the country, and
Minimize out-of-pocket costs for durable medical equipment especially for older adults

Against this knowledge, it’s worth noting that not all durable medical equipment is eligible under the program. In fact, not all DMEs are subject to competitive bidding. More crucially, you should be aware that Medicare only covers DMEs from suppliers who are part of the Competitive Bidding Program if your senior adult resides in a competitive bidding area.

So, what happens if your senior lives in a non-competitive bidding area? What if the required durable medical equipment isn’t subject to competitive bidding? In either case, a supplier that’s not only Medicare-approved but also willing to take up the assignment will come in handy.

Question #2. Is it Covered by My Medicare Plan?

If your senior is covered under a Medicare Advantage Plan, renting or buying from an on-network supplier will ensure utmost coverage. Getting it from an out-of-network supplier means that your older adult might have to foot the entire bill. While some Medicare Advantage plans include out-of-network coverage, it’s best to use on-network supplier to pay the lowest price possible.

Question #3. Do you an ATP?

An ATP, or Assistive Technology Professional, is an expert who specializes in seating products and wheeled mobility equipment (WME). This is a professional who’ll assess if your older adult meets the requirements needed for Medicare to approve a DME. More importantly, an ATP can offer insights and recommend the best durable medical equipment for your older loved one.

Of course, if your senior loved one does not require wheeled mobile equipment (eg, wheelchair), then you might proceed to a supplier that doesn’t have an Assistive Technology Professional.

Question #4. Are you a Medical Participating Supplier?

Asking this question is a no-brainer if you want to avoid paying extra. Let’s get one thing straight: if your older adult lives in Massachusetts, Ohio, Minnesota, Connecticut, Vermont, Pennsylvania, New York or Rhode Island, you have nothing to worry about because these states don’t permit suppliers to charge more than Medicare set prices for DMEs. However, if your senior doesn’t live in these states and the supplier isn’t a Medicare participating provider, you might be charged up to 15% more to rent or buy DMEs.

February 21, 2019 admin Home Health Care No comments

8 Fantastic Holiday Self Care Tips for Caregivers

Caring for an older adult can be stressful and sometimes overwhelming. Add holiday preparations and irritating relatives to the menu, and the whole thing becomes a nightmare.

Consider the following 8 stress relief tips to care for yourself during the holiday and spruce up your health and overall well-being. After all, your happiness and joy can rub off on those around you, including your senior loved one.

#1. Set Aside a Little Time for Yourself

The holiday season comes with its own fair share of fanfare and hubbub, and it’s easy to get caught up in all the motions. On top of that you’ve to care for your senior loved one. That’s why you need to make a small time for yourself to kick back, unwind, and relax. This way, you’ll be in a better position to resume holiday shindigs and your caregiving duties.

#2. Embrace an Attitude of Gratitude

The holiday period is a time to reflect on what you are thankful for. Instead of wallowing and feeling sorry for yourself, practice gratitude. Even better, pick a pen and paper and jot down the good things that have come your way during the year.

There’s something of beauty about being grateful. It can suddenly uplift your mood, get rid of stress, and help you cultivate a positive attitude towards life.

#3. Cut Yourself Some Slack

Caring for a senior adult during the holidays is no small feat. So, cut yourself some slack. Don’t set unrealistic goals for yourself because it can bear down on your self-esteem, leaving you feeling negative emotions.

#4. Practice Meditation, Yoga, Breathing Exercises, etc.

Self care is all about taking care of yourself from inside out. Oftentimes that means finding ways to keep your mind, body, and spirit in optimal health. Listening to your favorite soothing music, meditating, taking yoga or practicing deep breathing exercises can do the trick.

#5. Don’t be Afraid to Seek Support

Caregiving, especially during the holidays, can take a huge toll on nearly every aspect of your being. When you’re feeling particularly overwhelmed, it helps to lean on someone you trust, perhaps a fellow caregiver. When you are feeling down, be sure to talk, text, or meet face-to-face with your self-care buddy.

#6. Laugh, Laugh, Laugh

Laughter doesn’t cost you a thing. So, find every possible reason to laugh. Play a funny game, watch a comedy TV show or movie. A little laughter can go a long way to relieve your stress.

#7. Stay On Top of Unpleasant Family Interactions

You cannot be everything to everyone. Some relatives will have harsh comments about your caregiving style. Find ways to stay calm when you are confronted with unkind interactions. If anything, keep your distance and interaction with such members as minimal as possible.

#8. Prioritize Accordingly

Of course, caring for your older adult comes first. Remember you can’t squeeze in time to perform every task. So, know your priorities and, if possible, delegate some tasks.

Don’t make caregiving more stressful than it already is. Use above 8 handy tips to care for yourself and come out of the holidays healthy, recharged, and joyful.

January 3, 2019 admin Home Care, Senior Care No comments

4 Tips for Finding and Choosing the Right Caregiver Support Group for You

While caring for a senior has its moments, the life of a caregiver can be stressful, if not downright daunting. Between making sure that your senior loved one is safe, comfortable, and cared for, your own well-being can suffer on the back-burner. And if those around you, especially family and friends don’t get what you are going through, this can leave you feeling even more disconnected and isolated.

Luckily, that’s where joining a caregiver support group can come in especially handy. This is a haven where you can share your frustrations freely, meet people who truly understand your situation, and get handy tips on how to cope.

Today, we are going to walk you through 4 tips on how to find a good match in a caregiver support group because not all of them are created equal.

First Things First: What are the Benefits of Joining a Caregiver Support Group?

Just like any support network out there, caregiver support groups do offer a myriad of benefits that include:

Learning about local caregiver resources
Ability to air your frustrations and feelings freely
Being able to talk to people who are “sailing on the same boat”
Can help you cope, and keep the feeling of isolation at bay

How to Choose a Caregiver Support Group

Tip #1: Try Several Different Groups

There are a ton of support groups out there, with some focusing on a certain type of caregivers. So, get a list of all caregiver support groups in your area from senior care facilities, local hospitals, and whatnot. And the trick is to check out as many as possible on that list. This way, you’ll boost your odds of finding a group that best matches your needs and personality.

The good thing is that there are many options to consider, including groups for adult children caring for their parents, stress management groups, and those geared towards specific medical conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, etc.

Tip #2: Try a Group at Least Twice

What if you don’t like a particular on your first try? It doesn’t hurt to try it a second time. If you’re patient enough, the third time’s a charm.

Tip #3: Give Online Caregiver Support Groups a Try

There is a raft of wonderful support groups online geared towards caregivers, especially on Facebook. Despite not being able to meet face-to-face, support groups on different social media platforms can be of immense help.

Tip #4: Seek One-On-One Support from Someone You Can Trust

If you are not fond of group settings, finding a confidante you can feel comfortable sharing with can do wonders for your well-being. It’s crucial, however, that you choose a person who can truly understand what you’re going through, actively listen to what you have to say, and offer sound advice. A trusted family member, therapist or a church leader can suffice.

Being a caregiver comes with its own share of ups and downs. Be sure to join the right group to get the right help, connection and support you need.

December 27, 2018 admin Home Care, Live-in Care No comments

Respite Care Services Can Do Wonders for Caregiver’s Health and Well-Being

While caring for your senior loved one is rewarding enough, you don’t want to neglect your own health and well-being. If you do, caregiver stress and overwork will literally kill you.

Did you know that caregivers are twice more likely to develop chronic health issues like heart disease, diabetes, heart attack, stroke, arthritis and cancer than non-caregivers? As if that isn’t bad enough, severe stress from nonstop caregiving can shave 10 years off your life!

That’s a big no-no.

Lucky for you, that’s where respite care services can come in especially handy. It’s a no-brainer way to take some pressure off of you, and protect yourself from caregiver burnout and overwhelm.

In this brief guide, we’ll walk you into the fabulous world of respite care – what it is, its key benefits to caregivers, where to find them, and associated costs.

What’s Respite Care?

When you’re caring for an older adult, it’s often an around-the-clock job. But, you naturally need to take a break from time to time to take care of your own health and well-being. That’s where respite care come into the picture.

It’s simply a service where caregivers get a break from caring for a senior. Respite care professionals can care for an older adult on your behalf for a limited time (usually less than 30 days). It can take place in your home or at an assisted living facility.

Either way, respite care offers a myriad of benefits for both the caregiver and the older adult.

Benefits: Why Respite Care?

(1) Take a much-needed break: respite care can come to your rescue when you’re out-and-out overwhelmed by caregiver burnout and stress.

(2) Gives you space to deal with your own health problems: if you’re having a health crisis, respite care can provide you with an opportunity to resurge before resuming caregiving.

(3) It’s a great way to try out a particular assisted living community before you permanently move your senior loved one.

(4) Allows your older adult to receive a high level of care after a surgery or hospital stay

(5) It provides you with time to attend to personal matters or family events

Where to Find Respite Care?

Time-limited respite care services are typically provided by nursing care homes and assisted living facilities across the country. Of course, not all respite care facilities are created equal.

What to look for in a respite care service?

Your senior loved should get the personalized care he or she needs 24/7
A completely furnished room, complete housekeeping, and laundry service
3 meals a day
Help with medication and personal care (dressing, bathing, grooming, toileting, etc.)
Plenty of fun social activities, games, and outings

What’s the Cost of Respite Care?

While Medicare usually doesn’t cover respite care, it can take care of 95% of the costs for up to 5 days stay if the facility is part of the hospice program. Even still, the cost of respite care does vary based on the level of care required, type of facility, and location.

According to recent stats, however, you can expect to shell out an average of $235 per day for respite care in a nursing care facility or $123 daily in the case of an assisted living community.

December 20, 2018 admin Home Care, Home Health Care No comments

Top 5 Mobility Aids That Enhance Safety and Freedom for Older Adults

Helping senior adults stay safe and independent can be daunting, especially when they are reluctant to accept proper help. This is even truer when it comes to convincing them to use mobility aids like wheelchairs, walkers, and canes that can help them move around without any hassle and enjoy greater freedom for long. That’s why you need to approach the subject with compassion and a little creativity.

What’s even worse is that the odds are deeply stacked against them. Here are some startling stats from the CDC that’ll send chills down your spine:

Fall & slips are the biggest causes of fatal injuries among American seniors
Every 19 minutes, a senior aged 65+ succumbs to death because of a fall
Every 11 seconds, an ER treats an older adult aged 65+ for a fall injury
Fall injuries among older adult Americans cost over $50 billion annually, and the financial toll is expected to hit almost $68 billion by 2020.

No matter how you look at it, this is a grave issue, and mobility devices can come in especially handy. The bigger question is: which mobility aid or equipment is right for your beloved older adult? Consider the following tips to choose the perfect mobility device for you or your loved one:

How long will the mobility device be in use every day?
Does the senior have enough strength (both mental and physical) to use a manual device?
Will the senior need help with the transfer in & out of the mobility aid?
When and where your loved one needs help with mobility most – Will the senior need the device mostly at home? Need mobility help outdoors, indoors or both? Does he or she need help when getting up from bed to bathroom nightly? If that’s the case, you probably need a cane, not an expensive power wheelchair.

5 Most Common Mobility Devices for Utmost Freedom and Safety of Older Adults

(1) Walkers

Walkers are used by nearly 5% of American adults aged 65+. They offer greater mobility and can do wonders for seniors with balance issues, lower-body weakness & pain. They come in three versions: rollators (equipped with wheels on each leg), knee walkers (similar to rollators but feature a knee-resting pad), and walker-cane hybrids.

(2) Canes

Canes are the most common type of mobility devices. They help older adults maintain good posture while walking more comfortably and more safely. One in every 10 seniors uses a cane. They also come in a variety, including quad canes (four legs at the base for better stability), forearm canes (design for better distribution of weight), and white canes (for those who’re visually impaired).

(3) Stairlifts

Installing a motorized stair lift can make it easy for seniors to go up and down the stairs. It’s a lifesaver when it comes to preventing falls.

(4) Wheelchairs

There are both manual and electrically-powered wheelchairs. In either case, wheelchairs are designed to help seniors with lower body weakness to move around. Manual wheelchairs are for those with sufficient upper-body strength, while power wheelchairs are designed for seniors who need full-time mobility help both indoors and outdoors.

(5) Mobility Scooters

The beauty of mobility scooters is that they are usually accepted by seniors without a fuss. They are a great choice for older adults who don’t have enough balance and strength to use walkers or canes but need occasional mobility assistance outside.

There you have it – 5 most common kinds of mobility devices designed to help seniors achieve more independence, deal with pain, and stay safe.

November 11, 2018 admin Home Care, Senior Care No comments

How to Avoid Legal Issues When Hiring a Senior Caregiver

Senior caregivers can either be hired as employees or independent contractors. The IRS is clamping down on improperly classified domestic workers. Therefore, you must have a clear understanding of the tax implications associated with hiring a senior caregiver as an employee or an independent contractor.

Hiring as an Independent Contractor

A senior caregiver is classified as an independent contractor only if:

You can prove that the caregiver performs services that you have no control over
The caregiver is a part of an independent business enterprise, such as a homecare agency, and has his or her own insurance
The caregiver is providing services not required for the daily functioning of the household

If your senior caregiver doesn’t meet these criteria, he or she is an employee. You would be the caregiver’s employer and, therefore, be responsible for filing certain taxes.

Hiring as an Employee

Senior caregivers who are privately hired to take care of the daily needs of a geriatric patient are employees. These caregivers are also classified as employees when you pay them more than $2100 in a calendar year. You would be responsible for the caregiver’s employment taxes, record keeping, and insurance.

Other Factors to Consider

Hiring one of the nice ladies from your church or community group to take care of your loved one may seem like a good idea. However, the taxes to be filed can create a huge headache if not done correctly. The IRS won’t hold back on penalizing you. Some other important considerations include:

The expertise of this caregiver. Trained geriatric caregivers possess certain skills that the average person doesn’t. You risk having your loved one receive inadequate care if you don’t hire the right person.
Improper supervision and management. Who is going to consistently monitor what this person is doing with your loved one? You don’t have the time to supervise.
Liability if anything happens to the person on the job. You will either must get specific insurance to cover this employee or pay the full medical costs if anything happens to this person on the job. The likelihood of something happening is great so this expense is inevitable.
Being at a loss if the person quits. An independent contractor can quit unexpectedly leaving you with no one to care for your loved one. A home care agency would be able to find a replacement from its pool of workers.

Hiring an independent caregiver to care for your oved one is risky. It’s best to hire a caregiver through a homecare agency. Own a Home care Agency can connect you with top homecare providers in your area. Give us a call and we’ll make the link.

June 2, 2018 admin Uncategorized No comments

5 Reasons to Hire a Geriatric Care Manager

Being the sole caregiver for your aging loved one can be challenging. Sometimes elderly relatives have so many health and emotional concerns that it’s difficult to keep tabs on all of them. Finding yourself in this position is a cry for help. A geriatric care manager can answer this desperate plea and offer some relief.

A geriatric care manager has a medical background in geriatric care. This background may include experience as a nurse, social worker, gerontologist or psychologist. The specialist training a geriatric care manager receives enables him or her to provide a special set of services that are truly beneficial to a primary caregiver.

These services provide adequate reason for hiring a geriatric care manager. Some of these reasons, and other benefits for hiring a geriatric care manager, are highlighted below.

Provides a Comprehensive Needs Assessment

Your limited knowledge of geriatric care means that you can miss some of your loved one’s needs. You aren’t trained to have that eye for detail. However, a geriatric care manager has spent several years honing that skill.

Geriatric care managers can provide in-home assessments. They use that information to determine the family’s needs, the level of care your loved one needs, and the living situation that best suits your loved one’s condition. This assessment helps them put the right plan in place.

Experience with the Medical System

Elderly care requires interacting with a variety of medical professionals. It can become difficult to keep track of everything. It can also be difficult to determine which services are covered by your loved one’s health insurance (Medicare or Medicaid). A geriatric care manager can help you navigate the system. You’ll save money and keep track of your loved one’s medical needs.

Coordinating and Supervising Care

Hiring a permanent caregiver for your loved one may become necessary. Geriatric care managers are responsible for coordinating and supervising geriatric caregivers. Their work ensures that someone is always with your loved one and your loved one gets high quality care. You will be sure that your loved one is in good hands.

Cost-Effective

Hiring a geriatric care manager is cost-effective in the long-term. They help you plan ahead, avoid unnecessary medical expenses, and avoid costly mistakes. Geriatric care managers can cost between $50 and $200 per hour. However, the long-term benefits of what they provide far outweigh the short-term costs.

Advocating for Your Loved One

It may become necessary for your loved one to live in an assisted living facility. The demands of life may prevent you from visiting regularly. A geriatric care manager can regularly monitor the care your loved one receives in these facilities. IF the care is substandard, the geriatric care manager can advocate for better care.

Each county has an Office for the Aging. You can visit the county office in your loved one’s area to get recommendations for local geriatric care managers. The geriatric care manager should be certified through the Commission for Case Manager, the National Association of Social Workers, or the National Academy of Certified Care Managers. Feel free to contact the team at Own a Home Care Agency if you need further assistance.

May 2, 2018 admin Home Care, Senior Care No comments

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Smart Home Modifications to Enhance Safety, Independence and Comfort for Seniors in McLean

Caregiver Tips for Protecting Older Adults against Financial Scams and Fraud

#1. Make Sure to Check their Credit History Yearly

#2. Be There Always

#3. Invest in a Shredder

#4. Stay in the Know of your Senior’s Acquaintances, Romance, and Friendships

#5. Be on the Lookout for Any Sign of Financial Fraud

#6. Educate your Older Loved about Social Media and Online Fraud