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Get Started With Senior Care

It’s time to hire senior care aides for your dad. He forgets to take his medications. His doctor determined he has cataracts and shouldn’t drive when there’s a glare from headlights or streetlights. When his arthritis flares up, he struggles to get downstairs to his laundry room.

Your dad admits he needs help. How do you get started?

Gather Close Family and Friends

Senior Care Spring Hill TN - Get Started With Senior Care — Senior Care Spring Hill TN – Get Started With Senior Care

Before you do anything else, talk to any family members and close friends. If your cousin has a free day and offers to stop by and cook your dad’s dinner one day a week, jot that down. It increases the number of people he can socialize with each week.

The other reason to see if others can help out is to reduce the number of hours that professional caregivers are needed. He’ll save money and can start slow. As he adjusts to having senior care, he may want to increase the number of services he’s getting.

Create a To-Do List for the Senior Care Aides

You want to write out a list of things your dad needs help doing. Create a daily, weekly, and monthly list. Daily chores include medication reminders and meals. For weekly chores, you’re looking at things like laundry and grocery shopping. Monthly chores are the less frequent ones like doctor’s appointments and haircuts.

Gather Emergency Contacts and Important Documents

When a professional caregiver is with your parents, that caregiver needs to know certain things. Does your dad have a DNR in order? Does he have a power of attorney for medical decisions? If so, contact information needs to be shared.

If something happens, who should the caregiver call first? There needs to be a second choice, too. That way, the caregiver can reach someone. Make sure the name of your dad’s primary care physician, dentist, and any specialists are also on this list.

Add copies of your dad’s advance directive and powers of attorney forms for medical and financial decisions. If he has a form filled out such as a COLST or MOLST, that’s also important to have available.

Let Your Dad Adjust

If your dad is allowed to meet his caregiver, set that meeting as soon as possible. He’ll be more comfortable on the first day if he’s gotten to know the person.

On the first day of care, be available to answer questions but don’t hover. Let the caregiver work with your dad without your interruptions. Only help if you’re asked.

It’s Time to Make the Call

What’s the first step? Call our senior care agency and ask to speak to a specialist. You’ll answer some questions about your dad’s schedule and needs to create the right package of services. Be ready with your family’s list of questions, too.

When aging interferes with daily routines, senior care is a helpful hand that keeps you independent. Your dad doesn’t have to struggle. Call our senior care agency and arrange the services he needs.