Caring For Parents While Across The Country
More and more, families are being separated by distance. Many jobs take their workers across the country, or even across the world. Planes, high speed trains, and new cities with offers of better living have made staying in hometowns less typical. The age of great technology and better transportation makes staying in touch much easier, however moving away can make caring for aging parents a more difficult task.
If you live across the country from your parents, but you would like to be responsible for their care, there are ways to be successful at caring from afar. Here are some tips to help you care for your parents as they age.
Set up a schedule
In order to make your parents a priority, set up a schedule for you to visit and check on them. This may mean daily calls at a specific time. This could also mean scheduling two to three vacations to your parents' home throughout the year.
Interview supported living services
In the event that your parents wish to maintain their own home or apartment, calling in supported living services is the best option. Parents maintaining their own residence can help them maintain their health, as well. People who go into institutionalized care, such as nursing homes and other facilities tend to have a shorter lifespan than those who continue to live on their own. At-home care nurses and other disability services can come to visit your parents on a rotating schedule to ensure they are taken care of. Contact a professional home health care company, like GENACTA Home Care, and select a service that works for your parent's needs. For instance, if your parents are disabled, have a disability care service make sure to check on them and help with physical therapy for their immobility. For those who just need a little household help with jobs that are now difficult, such as heavy cleaning, may require a private, at-home service on a regular basis.
Install the right technology
Though it may not be what your parents are used to, teaching Mom and Dad technology will aid in helping their health. There are health services that can be reached via smartphone or tablet applications. Medic-alert bracelets and buttons can also be installed as jewelry or as buttons around the home. Learning how to use medical terminology can aid in getting necessary help and medical care at the click of a button.
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