Help Caring for Parents

Many adult children are either providing or having to find elderly assistance for their aging parents today. The National Center for Health Statistics reports that in 1950 there were 3,278,000 individuals 75-85 years old in the United States. In 2005 they report that the number of individuals in the same group has grown to 13,054,000. As the baby boomer generation has aged, they find themselves stepping into the role of caring for their parents who are living longer.

When it comes to finding elderly help, it is reported that approximately 60% of family caregivers are women. Many of these women are still working and raising a family, but as their parents need help, they are often the ones who provide this much needed senior assistance. What type of care is it they are providing? It can run the gamut from buying groceries, scheduling Dr.’s appointments, transporting, cleaning, cooking and sometimes finding a nursing home or assisted living facility. It all depends on their parents and the type of senior assistance that they need.

There are many in home care services that are offered by independent companies who most often have to be licensed to provide senior assistance services in the home. These services may include, nursing care, homes health aides, physical therapy, medical equipment supplies and sometimes housekeeping help, meals, shopping and transportation. There are also many who provide the same type of care.

No matter what the situation, caring for one’s parents takes time, planning and support. Medicare now provides a Caregiver Section that offer links to many national organizations, messageboards, newsletters, tips, checklists, state resources, elder care, end of life issues and stories. They also provide links to senior assistance publications, financial assistance and much more.

Finding such resources and support helps to empower those caring for their parents and to realize that they must take care of themselves while providing assistance to their aging parents.

The ‘ABC’ in Elder care ABC stands for ‘About Being Connected’. So come in and join us at http://www.eldercareabcblog.com, get connected and have your say about what information you need.
Most importantly discover a group of people that are here to support you and who you can support in your own way.