Elder Law Group Blog

5 Tips For Caring For Aging Parents

Jun 2, 2017 | News

Caring for aging parents can be difficult. Helping with trips to the grocery store or getting to doctor appointments may be taxing on your time. Providing basic care needs, like helping with dressing, feeding, bathing, or other personal needs, may be even more difficult. If you’re caring for an aging parent, it is important to remember to take care of your needs as well.
Carefully consider the implications of quitting your job to care for an aging parent. Freeing up time to care for your parent may be helpful, but your loss of income and employee benefits, like your health insurance plan, may be too costly. Also, consider your future job prospects and if you would be able to easily return to the work force after taking several months or years off.
Consider hiring a geriatric-care manager to help. A geriatric-care manager can put together a care plan for you and help you find appropriate community resources to help provide care to your aging parent. If your parent’s needs are extensive, consider hiring someone to help you.
Learn about Medicare and Medicaid. If your aging parent is already enrolled for these benefits, learn about their plans and which program pays for what services. If an aging parent has not yet applied for one or both of these benefits, explore their eligibility and help them apply.
Medicare is a health insurance program that does not have financial eligibility restrictions; however, Medicaid recipients must fall below certain resource and income eligibility standards. Medicaid Asset Preservation Strategies TM (MAPSTM) can protect assets while still allowing for Medicaid eligibility.
Make sure your aging parent has their Estate Plan in order. Planning for the eventuality of dying is not easy, but it is necessary. If your parent’s Estate Plan is in order, handling their estate matters after their passing will be far less burdensome for you and your family.
Take care of yourself. If you are acting as caregiver, it may be easy to forget about your own needs. Be mindful and take time to care for yourself. For some, this may mean spending time with friends, staying physically active, or remaining dedicated to a hobby. When you take care of yourself, you will be better able to take care of others.
Elder Law Group PLLC Focuses On The Particular Needs of Seniors
We know that making arrangements for the eventuality of aging can be very stressful and emotional. We strive to remove some of the burden from you and your family by helping you create an Estate Plan that addresses your needs in detail.
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Contact us or call (509) 468-0551 (Spokane office), or (509) 579-0206 (Tri-Cities office), for personal, compassionate guidance on the particular needs of seniors and their families.
 

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