Why work with an Aging Life Care Professional during a crisis?

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An Aging Life Care Professional® will help you assess the situation for your family. Every family is different, and Aging Life Care Professionals are able to devote 100% attention to their clients. As more elderly face risk of catching the coronavirus (COVID-19), residents in retirement communities and elderly at home, some families are struggling with the decision of whether to bring their parents back home and who can care for them. With all the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, this is an understandable and important question. Yet any consideration of a move should not be taken lightly, especially with so many unknowns about the future. Aging Life Care Professionals help families examine each unique situation and provide expert guidance about developing the best approach.

Here are some of the most important points to consider when contemplating a move back home. Consider the advantages retirement communities provide: • Nursing support on-site • Team of caregivers to provide 24/7 care and oversight • Quick and easy access to medical advice • Social engagement (even during quarantine) • Team of professionals to problem-solve issues that arise • Meals and access to food, groceries, and supplies • Coordination with pharmacies and pharmacists • Clear protocols for staff about COVID-19 • Most retirement communities are regularly communicating with their local public health experts to ensure they are keeping their residents and staff safe • Many senior communities also have the financial support and leadership from a much larger corporation or non-profit entity and the support of their industry An Aging Life Care Professional® can help answer these questions in order to provide the best care for your home-bound elder loved one: • What level of care-giving support will your parent need at home (how many hours of care, how many caregivers, how will these shifts be staffed)? • What will the cost of this care be and how does this compare to what you are paying now? • Will your parents be able to sustain this cost over the long-haul, even if care needs increase? • How will you manage if your parent becomes diagnosed with COVID-19? • How will you manage if a caregiver is diagnosed? • How will you handle getting groceries and supplies to the house, especially if these supplies become more complicated to access? • Who will prepare meals? • How will you keep your parent socially connected? • To prevent isolation and depression, is there a plan in place for oversight and support of the caregivers? • Are there systems in place to ensure caregivers are not coming to work sick? • If you become sick, is there a back-up plan?

These are complex issues. Each family needs to weigh the risk and benefits of their own situation. An Aging Life Care Professional can help you navigate this decision and support you in implementing a safe plan. Find an Aging Life Care Expert in your community at aginglifecare.org.

This information was used with permission by Lisa Mayfield, founder and co-Principal of Aging Wisdom®, an Aging Life Care™ practice in Seattle, and Past-President of the Aging Life Care Association board of directors.