As millions of baby boomers move into retirement years, many will be tasked with providing care to elderly parents, spouses and other loved ones. Caregiving can pose many challenges and may ultimately take its toll on the caretaker. Here is some information on caregiving and how you can provide great care to your loved one, while also taking care of yourself.
Caregiving Fatigue
Many working and retired people find themselves taking care of a loved one who requires full-time caregiving. Often, this caregiving role is unexpected. While spouses take a vow ‘for richer or for poorer’ the exact toll caregiving can take is often underestimated. Caregiving is taxing both physically and mentally. The extent to which a caregiver is required to dedicate time and attention to their loved one often detracts from personal care. Part of providing good care to a loved one is taking care of yourself.
Caregiving can lead to social isolation as the caretaker rarely has time to attend to his or her own mental or social needs. Instead, all of their time is spent with the person requiring care. Having someone completely dependent upon you is burdensome and changes the nature of a relationship. Many states also have great caregiving support groups and resources for caregivers. Seek these groups out, as well as groups on Facebook and social media platforms for trusted advice and to talk with people who may be going through similar challenging times.
Seeking out Caregiving Assistance
Because of the heavy demands of caregiving, it’s highly recommended to obtain assistance in giving care. Where resources allow, put it place a team to take some of the burden off of the main caregiver. Siblings should consider sharing caregiving duties where schedules allow.
What other options are available for hire? Many caregivers hire home health care to assist with medication administration, cooking, cleaning, bathing and other household chores. For those requiring next level care, an assisted living facility offers meals, healthcare and housing. For those requiring around the clock care, a skilled nursing home may be the only option. For those that are terminally ill, hospice or alternative palliative care may be able to assist.
Managing Legal Affairs
Many caregivers find themselves in need of assistance in managing the legal affairs of the elderly loved one. Caregivers should seek out trusted advice from a licensed and experienced elder law attorney practicing in their state. A power of attorney is a great way for a caregiver to manage the affairs on behalf of the elderly loved one. A durable power of attorney extends even after someone is incapacitated from dementia, Alzheimer’s or related degenerative disease or cognitive decline. Every power of attorney terminates upon death.
Speak with your elder law attorney about a general durable power of attorney to order to obtain broad authority to act on behalf of the elderly loved one. If no power of attorney relationship is established, and a person becomes incompetent, a court proceeding such as a guardianship or conservatorship may be required. The power of attorney route is favored for its cost-effectiveness as a conservator guardian proceeding is an ongoing and costly affair.
If the elderly loved one requires skilled nursing care, the caregiver likely will have to figure out how to pay for it. For many people, being admitted to a nursing home may involve applying for Medicaid. Medicaid is a state-administered program with different income thresholds and spend-down requirements depending upon the state. A skilled elder law attorney can assist in applying for Medicaid as well as offer advice on preserving assets and the family home.
One way to avoid having to go on Medicaid for an extended stay at a nursing facility is long-term care insurance. These policies cover you and your loved ones in the event nursing home care is required. While there are required periodic premiums to be paid, many find that long-term care policies are well worth it in the long run.
Managing Healthcare Affairs
To manage the healthcare affairs of an elderly loved one, the caregiver may obtain a healthcare power of attorney over the loved one or ask to include those powers in their general durable power of attorney. Another important legal device for healthcare is the advanced directive or living will. This legal instrument allows the elderly loved one to select whether they would like life support or a feeding tube if they become permanently unconscious or terminally ill.
Many people opt not to receive artificially sustaining life support which will only delay the dying process, but the loved one has the chance to make those decisions, nevertheless. The healthcare directive also allows the maker to select one or more healthcare proxies who may make healthcare decisions on behalf of the maker if he or she cannot speak for themselves.
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