"Home for the holidays." For most, the term conjures up images of being with loved ones, opening presents, sharing good times.
But, for some, while a trip home is a time to be with family, it can also leave you uneasy about your parents´ ability to live on their own. You wonder if they need help managing their day-to-day lives.
You´re not alone. Each year, a growing number of adult children are faced with the same question. And, this number is set for a dramatic upswing. A recent study by the Administration on Aging reports the number of Americans aged 65 and older is expected to increase 17 percent from 1995 to 2010, and 75 percent by 2030, to over 69 million people. In fact, the fastest growing segment of the population is those age 85 and over.
How do know if your loved one needs help?
When you head home for the holidays this year, take a look around to see if your older relative needs assistance. To do so, ask yourself the following questions:
- Has the person´s hygiene, grooming, or dressing changed?
- Is he/she not paying bills on time or at all? Is he/she having trouble managing money or balancing the checkbook?
- Have daily routines or habits changed dramatically? Is he/she reluctant to leave the house? Does he/she seem to be sleeping for long periods?
- Is the house messier than normal? Does that yard need tending to?
- Is your loved one showing signs of general confusion or memory loss? Is he or she having difficulty remembering names, dates, appointments, taking medications?
- Are there changes in appetite or eating habits? Has he/she gained or lost a weight? Is there outdated food in the refrigerator?
- Is he or she holding onto the furniture while moving through the house?
Answering "yes" to one or more of these questions is a sign that that your loved one is in need of assistance.
See if your employer has programs in place to help you determine what elder care options are best. Employers increasingly offer their employees information and education about elder care issues. In fact, despite the recession, the study Work/Life Benefits Provided by Major U.S. Employers in 2001-2002 by Hewitt Associates found that as baby boomer workers struggle to care for their aging parents, elder care programs have experienced steady growth over the past few years. Half of all employers offer some form of elder care assistance, with dependent care spending accounts (38 percent) and resource/referral programs (33 percent) being most common.
In addition, some employers may also offer on-site elder care fairs that educate employees about the range of resources and services that are available in their communities. These forums often give employees the chance to meet with local representatives from Social Security, Medicare, senior transportation services, home health care agencies and long-term care facilities, as well as elder law attorneys and other elder care professionals.
For more information elder care, please call Elizabeth Weinstein, Manager of Marketing, of Work|Life Benefits at 781-483-3600.
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