The Benefits of Hiring an Aging Life Care Professional
An Aging Life Care Professional, sometimes referred to as a geriatric care manager, is someone who is trained and certified to provide guidance on a number of aspects of senior care. He or she typically has a degree or certification in a field related to the care of the elderly, as well as experience working in positions to support them and their families. Aging Life Care Professionals can provide options regarding medical, housing, and financial needs that the average person might not be aware of. They also have experience coordinating between these different aspects of life to ensure the aging parent is cared for as effectively and efficiently as possible.
Dealing with the needs of elderly parents can be challenging. In addition to being stressful and often emotionally difficult, tending to the various facets of their lives like finances, housing, and insurance can be complicated and frustrating. Also, an adult child’s day-to-day life does not stop simply because a parent needs care. Children, spouses, and jobs all continue to need attention, so the extra responsibility can easily become overwhelming. To navigate this new and likely unfamiliar territory successfully, it can be very helpful to hire an Aging Life Care Professional.
Most of the time, taking over decision-making and being responsible for the care of a parent is not something an adult child has had to do before. It can happen quickly, precipitated by a health emergency or other critical incident, which makes it obvious the parent can no longer manage on his or her own. When this happens, the adult child may not know how to find the right resources to help the parent. He or she might make quick decisions that are not in the parent’s best interests due to stress, fear, or just a lack of information. The experience of an Aging Life Care Professional can make the transition much smoother and lead to a better outcome.
Taking on the role of caregiver to a parent is typically an emotional time for adult children. The switch from being the child who was cared for by the parent to a reversed role can be sad and frustrating. Coordinating care among multiple siblings can make this even more challenging, especially if the family dynamics are not positive. Sometimes the parents are resistant to giving up control, even though it’s no longer possible for them to care for themselves. In situations like these, tension and hostility can make it hard to make the right decisions for the parent. In these cases, an Aging Life Care Professional can serve as an impartial third party to provide unbiased advice on the right course to choose.
Another challenge that adult children often face is geographical restriction. While many tasks can be handled via phone or e-mail, some must be handled in person. However, elderly parents may not live close enough that their children can always be physically present to attend doctor’s visits or meetings with care facilities. An Aging Life Care Professional can be a vital ally in cases like these, standing in for the adult children and advocating for the parent when needed.
The prospect of coordinating care for an aging parent can be stressful, scary, and overwhelming. For many adult children, handling every aspect of this change alone is not feasible. Hiring an Aging Life Care Professional to serve as a guide and advocate can lead to better results for everyone in the family.
To reach one of our Advanced Senior Solution’s team members, Contact Us Here or call 727-443-2273. We’re here to help you.