Your mom had a stroke. While she’s going to be okay, it’s time to bring in outside help to ensure she’s supported at home. How do you help her transition to receiving elder care? Here are a few tips for helping your parent prepare for the idea of a caregiver.
Make Sure She’s Involved in the Research and Planning Stages
Involve your mom in the planning stages. Print out information sheets and let her read them. As she has questions, jot them down. If you, your brothers, or your sisters have questions, add them to the list.
Go over possible services with your mom and feel her out. What does she immediately say would be helpful, and what does she insist is something she can do on her own? Possible elder care services include:
- Appointment scheduling and reminders
- Companionship
- Hygiene and grooming
- Laundry
- Light housekeeping
- Meal preparation
- Medication reminders
- Organization (bills, household, and mail)
- Shopping and errands
- Transportation
Have your mom go through a typical day. Where is she confident in doing things on her own? What does she admit is impossible for her to do without you or another family member shopping by? Does she ever need to ask a neighbor for help? Those are all items to note when it comes to your mom’s need for help.
Walk Her Through a Typical Day With a Caregiver
Once you know where she needs help, walk her through what will happen when a caregiver stops by for a few hours or the full day. Start in the morning. Your mom gets up, takes a shower, gets dressed, and eats breakfast. Maybe she eats first, takes her medications, and then showers.
She’s ready to start her day. What happens next? Does she walk her dog or start cleaning? Does she prefer to sit outside and read the paper?
When it’s lunch, does she follow with another walk? Is that when your mom starts cleaning or does she prefer to go take a nap? She may head out to her garden and see if any weeds have sprouted or if vegetables need to be brought inside.
As the afternoon turns to night, it’s time to prepare dinner. Can your mom cook these meals on her own or do you find her ordering a pizza? Does she eat and get ready for bed or does she put on the TV to watch her favorite shows?
Once you know her schedule, point out the areas where a caregiver would help out. Go over what elder care is there to do, and how it will work. If her caregiver is going to help prepare meals and snacks, explain that your mom needs to give input on what she likes to eat and that she may need to point out where items are to help the caregiver adjust to the kitchen layout.
Don’t Make It a Cold Turkey Situation
Finally, make sure you’re not throwing your mom into elder care services in a sink-or-swim fashion. Once the caregiver is scheduled, arrange to work from your mom’s house for a few days. You don’t have to shadow the caregiver, but be somewhere in the house.
Your mom will be comforted by the fact that you’re nearby. And, the caregiver can turn to you with questions or if your mom is being particularly stubborn. You can work from a den or bedroom and stay out of the way unless you’re needed.
Elder care is essential for an older adult who needs a helping hand to stay independent. Call an expert in home care and learn more about elder care services and the pricing structure.
If you or an aging loved one is considering elder care in Red Lodge, MT, call the caring staff at SYNERGY Home Care of Billings today. 406-839-2390
