Today, many of us are spread far and wide from our families. After we leave our parents homes, many of us find ourselves flung to the corners of the country, if not the corners of the globe. This distance makes normal family relations difficult enough, but what about when our parents begin to age? Having an aging parent that lives near you can be difficult enough, but when we live great distances from our parents, making sure they have the care they need as they age is even more difficult.

Most of us just can’t pick up and move our lives because our parents are aging and in need of assistance, or might need assistance sometime in the near future. While we can’t just move our lives from where they are to where our parents live, we also want to provide our parents with compassionate, quality care that provides them with the help they need, while allowing them to retain as much independence and dignity as possible.

While it is difficult, it is entirely possible to provide the care that your parents need, even from a distance.

Make a plan. It is best to try to make a care plan for your parents before they begin to spiral into a serious decline. Already having a plan of action in place will not only make it easier for you to handle their affairs and needs if and when the time comes, but you can also ensure that their wishes are honored by having your parents help you create a plan for them. The biggest part of making a plan is getting all your parents vital information that could be necessary in anemergency or in the event that you need to take over their affairs. It is vital that you talk to your parents about an emergency plan of how you can provide prompt care for them in the event of an emergency. You will need to find out who can provide local assistance in the event that something happens that you cannot be there to help with. You will need to become familiar with all the resources and senior accommodations in your parents area so that you know where to turn to if you need help at any point in time. You will also want to get contact information for neighbors and friends, as well as all their health care providers.
Obtain all the necessary legal documentation. Have your parents sign a medical consent release form. This will make it legally possible for your parents’ medical providers to obtain, when needed, important information about their health and medical condition. It is also recommended that your parents write up a power of attorney form that gives you power of attorney in the event that your parents become incapacitated or can no longer manage their own affairs for whatever reason. This will give you the legal power to handle all their affairs if that becomes necessary.
Help them manage their finances. This is one of the areas that seniors often have the most difficult time managing on their own as they age. Obtain access to all your parents’ financial accounts so that you can monitor and manage their finances. Consider setting up automatic bill pay if that is an option for your parents. That way, bills will automatically be paid and there will be no worries about missed mortgage or utility payments in your absence. It can also help you keep track of your parents spending so that they can stay on budget. Having power of their finances can also be helpful in the event that your parents need more extensive, permanent, in-home care. Understanding what their means are will help you better understand the options that are available to them.

At Carefect homecare services, we understand how difficult it is to manage the aging of a parent or loved one. We also understand how distance can make this process increasingly hard for a child as the years go by. We are industry leaders in the field of providing the highest quality non-medical homecare services that help to ensure that your parents receive the level of care they need. Our staff is comprised of highly trained, compassionate caregivers that can provide any level of care needed. Contact us today for a free in-home assessment of your parents needs and let us help you create a care plan that meets the needs of your parents and provides you with the peace of mind that your loved ones are properly cared for.