One of the hardest parts that comes with being an adult and getting older is realizing that your parents are also getting older and will start to need additional care. When you do have an older parent, it will be essential that they have proper care. One excellent option is to provide the care your parent needs out of your own home. When looking to provide home care in Philadelphia, PA, residents should follow these tips and advice for providing care for an aging parent.
Understanding Your Parent’s Needs
One of the most important tips when providing care is to ensure you fully understand your parents’ needs. These can include medical appointments, therapy needs, and daily care needs, such as feeding and bathing. Knowing their individual needs is important to ensure you are able to provide the care they need or have the financial resources to cover costs for care that you may not otherwise be able to.
Financial Planning for Caregiving
If you have an aging parent, they will have additional expenses that may not have been considered. Once an aging parent requires this care, they may need a professional to come in and provide support, significant additional medication and healthcare costs, and costs that can come with retrofitting your property. It is important to look at their finances and any support you are considering to ensure that you have the resources to cover this. If not, you should also look into additional financial resources available in your area through Medicaid, Medicare, and even insurance to help reduce your financial burden.
Coping with Caregiver Stress
When you start caring for an aging parent, you will also find that the entire process can be pretty stressful. Because of this, you need to make sure that you are caring for yourself and able to manage your own personal stress. While caring for a parent can take a considerable amount of time, you still need to make sure that you are finding time to exercise, see friends, and take care of your personal and professional life. Prioritizing yourself beyond providing this care is important to help you stay focused and manage stress.
Building a Support Network
You should also build a full support network. Caring for a parent can take more than just one person. You should also ensure other family members, friends, and community members are involved. This will be a great support network for both you and your parent.
Home Safety and Modifications
When a parent moves into your home, you also need to ensure that the property is safe for them. You can follow various tips to ensure the property is safe and that hazards are reduced. This can include ensuring staircases have gates, rugs, and other slip hazards are secured and that you have great lighting throughout the property. It is also a good idea to ensure important items are within reach and that you have an emergency call system that they can use if there is ever an accident when you are not around to help.
It is very important to be able to provide care for an elderly parent. When you are looking to provide such care, you will want to ensure that you have all the support you need throughout the process. When looking for affordable home care, Philadelphia residents should give us a call. We offer a range of direct care services as well as other support services that will help ensure your home is prepared for an aging parent to move in.