Caregiving

Learn how to first come to terms with the idea of role reversal, as you become the parents to your parents.

Green Houses and the Eden Alternative are elder housing approaches developed by Dr. William Thomas in the early 1990s. They are an innovative and bold step toward the radical overhaul of the system of housing and nursing care for the elderly. The Eden Alternative nursing homes and Green House project offer elders a warm, homey environment that minimizes the sterile, institutional atmosphere of most traditional nursing homes.

The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging reports, "of the almost 6 million adults age 65 and over with long-term care needs, only 20% receive care services in a nursing home or other institutional setting, with the remaining 80% receiving assistance at home and in the community." So how do you know when it’s time to make that move from home care to an nursing facility?

The mechanics of elder mediation are not much different than other types of mediation, except that both “sides” in these disputes are members of the same family. Parentgiving.com got an inside perspective from elder mediator William Van Twisk of Brunswick, Maine.

As baby boomers approach their own retirement age, very few thought they would become caregivers to parents well into their 80s and 90s. Their parents probably never wanted this for them to either; they’d much rather remain independent. Disputes can arise from these situations.

In a study conducted by George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C., researchers found that nationally visits to emergency rooms by the elderly have increased more than 34% in the last decade.  Although it is unclear exactly why visits by the elderly have increased, the study surmises that the increase may be due to “older people surviving with chronic medical issues, as well as problems the elderly are experiencing accessing primary care doctors.”

For patients who have suffered an injury, illness or exacerbation of a disease, subacute nursing home care can offer a money-saving alternative to in-hospital care. Subacute care differs from that of a traditional nursing facility in that it provides more intensive care to the patient until the condition is stabilized.

Seniors face many challenges as they age and may need more intensive rehabilitation care, especially after suffering injuries from a fall, a stroke or a cardiovascular event. The length of time spent in a senior rehab program can greatly improve the senior's health, and allow him or her to maintain  independence and get back to the normal routine much quicker following an event.

The prevailing rationale is that the grandchildren will be taken care of by their parents, but here’s how you might recognize grandchildren in your will .