Caring For Your Loved Ones From A Distance

If you have an aging parent who requires special assistance, there are many hurdles to surpass and potential problems to be solved. Additionally, there is added stress if you are caring for your parents long distance, as there are even more problems to navigate and solve.

In most cases, being far from your parents can make you, the caregiver, feel helpless and disconnected, but there are steps you can take to stay involved and organized. By planning ahead and taking such steps, you will feel more in control and be able to better handle unexpected situations.

Early Prep is Key

Meet The Neighbors

Even if you live far away from your parents, taking an early trip to assess their health and support system is a good idea. During this trip, you can take note of your parent’s environment, ultimately assisting in planning efforts. Meeting your parent’s neighbors is a great start to creating a support system. Neighbors are usually only steps away, and can usually drop in for a quick check if need be. Establishing good relationships with your parent’s neighbors, and having their phone numbers on hand, will give you the peace of mind that help is close by.

Neighbors may be the first to notice any unusual behavior or decrease in activity. If you are unable to reach your parent on the phone, a quick call to a neighbor can reassure you that your parent is doing yardwork or taking a walk. Most neighbors of an aging parent are more than happy to lend a helping hand or a watchful eye.

Important Documents

Another good thing to do is make copies of any important documents you may need. This may include insurance cards, medical history and the name/ contact information for your parent’s doctor and pharmacy. Also, take note of any documents you might need once you are far away. Having your own copies for reference will alleviate frustration and help with further organization.

Home Safety

If your parent is going to remain in their home, doing a safety check is imperative. Cleaning up clutter, going through unused items and making donations. This clean-up can be a helpful step while you are in town, not only proving benefit to your parent, but ensuring that you have peace of mind. Knowing that your parent’s home is clean and free of safety hazards can be comforting.

As your parent ages, the risk of falling and injury increases greatly. Taking preventative action is especially important in ensuring the well-being of your loved one. Further safety measures may include: installing grab bars, clearing walkways, removing tripping hazards, providing a medical alert bracelet and clearing out cluttered cabinets. These are good steps to take in effort to prepare a safe home for your parent. Additional measures may include, hiring a snow removal or yard service company to keep the surrounding yard clear and free from ice or branches.

Legal Considerations

An often neglected part of caring for an aging parent includes legal issues and estate planning. Having your parent’s legal documents reviewed by a lawyer is extremely important, and having a law firm that is well educated in areas of elder law is a great step to ensuring your parent has a structured plan in place. This ultimately makes sure that they have all of the information and documents needed to carry out their wishes.

Estate planning considerations include, but are not limited to: retirement planning, digital asset protection, guardianships, trusts, wills, medical and financial powers of attorney. Assessing your health care and financial plans and making sure everything is in order helps long distance caregivers be confident in knowing their parent’s legal needs are accounted for.

Personal Emergency Response System

A Personal Emergency Response System (PERS), also known as a Medical Emergency Response System, allows access to medical help at the touch of a button. If you are concerned about your parent’s stability or there have been recent falls, a PERS can provide assurance that your loved one will be able to get help even if they aren't able to reach the phone.

Usually, you can also be a point of contact on the PERS. This allows you to know if your parent has pushed the button for assistance. Knowing that your loved one is always just a button touch away from help can be a great source of comfort for a long distance caregiver.

Meal Service

If being far away from your aging parent has you questioning whether they are getting good, healthy meals, you may want to consider the assistance of a meal delivery service. Such services are designed to deliver pre-made meals to individuals that may have trouble grocery shopping or who may encounter difficulties in preparing something healthy.

An alternative service is that of food delivery. If your parent still loves to cook, but shopping can be a strain, consider having a grocery delivery service set up to eliminate the trip to the grocery store. Another option is a service that delivers the ingredients for fresh, healthy meals right to your parent’s door and allows them to cook delicious meals without having to plan or shop. These various meal service options can help you have peace in knowing your parent is getting the nutrition and meals they need, even if you are not there to cook for them.

Medication Management

If your parent is taking numerous medications, you may worry that they are either forgetting their daily medication, or mixing up their pills. There are services available that will package your daily medication and send it in the mail, allowing your parent to have their daily medications in easy to read, individual packages.

Knowing that your parent’s medications are on track can give you peace of mind from a distance. If your loved one has multiple pharmacies, consolidating them into one, nearby location can also help to streamline medication routines.

Transportation Service

If your parent does not drive, or if you are anticipating that driving will not be possible in the future, a transportation service can be extremely helpful. Senior transportation can help ensure that your parent remains active and able to get out to enjoy outings and fulfill obligations. Such outings may include appointments, errands and events. While you may not be able to drive your parent yourself, setting up transportation will ensure they still get where they need to go; thus, helping them maintain an active lifestyle.

In Sum

Even if you are far away from an aging parent or loved one, there are still many steps you can take to ensure that they are cared for in the best way possible. While we would all love to be close to our loved ones, providing assistance when needed, putting a system in place that will help your parent goes a long way to ensure that they are well cared for. 

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