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Advances in medicine
combined with healthier lifestyles result in a senior population
that is living longer with an extended period of active,
productive, lives.
But these same numbers also reveal another story. At some
point, more and more adult children are called upon to help
care for their parents. Women, especially, are caught in
the balancing act of caring for parents, their own household,
a full-time job and community activities.
These caregivers eventually run out of hours in the day
resulting in stress that affects their own health and well-being.
According to the Home Instead Senior Care office serving
New Haven county, the company will have to double its force
of caregivers in the next three years to keep pace with
the demand. Nationwide, the need for professional, personal
and home-care aides is expected to grow more than 50 percent
in the next seven years.
While this situation may cause difficulties for those needing
help, it is good news for workers in fields that have experienced
job losses and for healthy seniors who like a flexible work
schedule and enjoy helping others.
The training process for the profession, while comprehensive,
is not lengthy. Typically, there is a four-step program
which provides basic skills such as education on safety,
communications, emergency first aid, routine meal preparation
and light housekeeping.
Advanced training prepares caregivers to perform personal
services such as toileting, bathing or working with the
mentally impaired.
Seniors can be of tremendous help to their families if
they do the following:
- Remain as independent as possible.
- Make realistic plans for your future and discuss these
openly with the family.
- Have an up-to-date will, living will, health-care proxy
and power of attorney.
- Be pro-active about aging decisions that will affect
those who care about you.
Home Instead’s advice is to follow the 40-70 Rule,
which states if you are 40 or your parents are 70, it is
time to start a conversation. Unfortunately, some parents
are reluctant to talk with their families about their aging
and in fact, are in complete denial about the process. Most
people are more likely to talk if they feel empowered and
if it is approached as, “planning for the future.”
Sometimes, an outside, professional counselor carries more
weight than a family member. All family members should be
involved in decisions, if at all possible. Those who live
a distance away, need to be updated on how a family member
is aging.
Regular meetings can be accomplished by phone or e-mail
with an agenda ahead of time so everyone can have a say.
But many family members find these conversations difficult
and their concern comes across as impatience or anger. To
help families get started, there is an excellent video as
well as a conversational ability assessment and a guide
at www.HomeInstead.com.
Information on careers in care giving is also available
on the same site.
Jean Cherni is founder of Senior
Living Solutions, a retirement advisory service. Contact
her at jeancherni@sbcglobal.net or 15 The Ponds, Branford
06405.
H. Pearce Company REALTORS®
is a full-service real estate company with more than 100
agents and branch offices in greater New Haven and the Shoreline.
Corporate and & Commercial offices are located in North
Haven, where the company was founded in 1958. All listings
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