how to -manage near or far
Print this page
Step Three - Gather Available Resources
You're going to need help, especially if you can't be there all the time. So you'll need to figure out what resources are available to you. Here are some ideas to consider:
- What friends and family do your parents have nearby?
- Do they have neighbors they (and, by extension, you) can count on?
- What in-home care options do your parents have? Ask their neighbors and friends for recommendations. Their local church or synagogue may have ideas, too. Check the local newspaper, yellow pages and, of course, search on the internet to compile a list of options. Here are a few ideas for key search words to use: home health care, in-home care, health aides, home helpers. Along with your parents’ zip code, this search should deliver a wealth of options.
- What community resources are available to them? For starters, call the local city or town hall to get seniors service information, and/or check out the local yellow pages.
- Investigate any volunteer programs that may be associated with local churches and synagogues. Many congregations offer services such as respite care, transportation to doctor visits and other appointments, meal preparation, and general errand running.
- Would an emergency alert service be useful? We recently signed our mom up for such a service with Response Link. They provide her with an alert button, which she wears around her neck, and a two-way communication device for her home in case of an emergency. It costs $38.95/month. There are many terrific services available – we happened to choose Response Link because it was recommended to us by a friend. Here's an important tip: avoid any service that requires you to sign a long-term contract. If you're interested in Response Link, their phone number is 877-258-1518, or you can check out their website at responselink.com.
- Many emergency services also provide telephone alerts, such as medication reminder calls, wake-up calls, appointment reminders and wellness checks, for a small additional charge. Response Link, for example, offers the telephone alerts for an additional $10/month.
- Check out AccuPax: This service combines all of your parent's daily medications (including over-the-counter meds and vitamins) by putting them into individually sealed packets. Each sealed packet has a description of the medications therein and the time of day those particular meds must be taken. For example, if your parent takes a certain medication three times a day, there will be three such time-stamped Accupax packets. Any other medication that gets taken three times a day will be part of that packet as well. It is also a highly convenient service – once AccuPax receives your parent’s prescriptions, then a licensed pharmacist prepares the packets, including automatic refills, and a 30-day supply is sent right to your parent's home. Find out more by checking out their website at accupax.com or give them a call at 888-600-9692.
Does your parent need in-home care? Make sure the agency is licensed by the state and the caregivers are bonded and insured.Does your parent need in-home care? Make sure the agency is licensed by the state and the caregivers are bonded and insured.
