Planning for Caregiving

A caregiver is anyone who provides unpaid assistance to another adult who is ill, disabled, or needs some help. Caregiving for family members is very common. A recent study by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP found that in about one in four households, a person over age 18 had provided care to someone over age 50 at some point during the previous year.

This fact sheet will discuss the issues you as a caregiver may face, offer suggestions for meeting your own needs, as well as those of the person receiving care, and offer resources you can access easily. (see Assessing the Situation)

Balancing Job and Caregiving Responsibilities Caregiving tasks, such as taking your father to the doctor, talking to a social worker, arranging for services in the home or community usually must be done during work hours. Arrangements you make with paid helpers or other family members don't always work out and you have to take time from your job. Caregivers often have to modify their work schedules, including taking leaves of absence. (see Balancing Work and Caregiving)

Less Time for Personal and Family Life
Caregiving takes time. As a result, caregivers have less time to spend with other family members and less leisure time for themselves. Many have reported that their responsibilities have caused them to give up vacations, hobbies, or other activities. Very often, it is the daughter caring for older parents as well as children at home who need her time and attention.

Finances The cost of needed products and services quickly adds up. Some things are covered by insurance policies, but often coverage is inadequate. For many caregivers, out-of-pocket expenses can be large.

Physical and Mental Health
Caregiving can be physically and emotionally stressful, especially if you have to provide care over a long period. Although many caregivers don't report having serious health problems, some say they commonly feel frustrated, exhausted, angry, or sad.

Planning Ahead
Many parents are capable of taking care of their own needs and don't need or want their adult children to help. As parents grow older, however, they may eventually need some help. Most people are not prepared to be caregivers, but it is family members who most often fill this role.

There are some things that you can do to plan for what you may need to do for your parents and address your own needs effectively.

Meeting Needs
Determine your parents' housing options and preferences. Ask your parents:

Are you able to do things around the house? Have you thought of living elsewhere? Options include:

· staying in the current home with some changes or help (see Privately Hiring a Homecare Worker)
· assisted living
· retirement communities
· shared housing
· nursing homes.

Learn your parents' medical history. Ask: Do you have any medical conditions or health problems I should know about? Who are your doctors? What medications do you take? If your parents are unclear about the details, you may want to ask them if you can go with them on their next trip to the doctor. (see Communicating with Health Care Professionals)

Make a list of their friends and neighbors and get contact information for each. Include:

· emergency contacts
· close relatives and friends
· neighbors
· friends and clergy from their place of worship
· housing managers or apartment front-desk staff
· local pharmacy.

Find out about your parents' finances. Financial information may be difficult to obtain from your parents, but it is critical to have an objective picture about money. Key elements are:

· a list of income sources such as Social Security and pensions
· monthly and yearly income and expenses
· a list of bank accounts and investments
· a statement of net worth.

Assess legal needs. Ask:

· What legal documents do you have or want to have (for example: wills, advance directives such as living wills and health care proxy forms, trusts, powers of attorney)?
· Where do you keep important documents (birth certificates, deed to home, insurance policies)?
· Is your will up to date? (see Legal Concerns for Caregivers)

Get important account numbers in case you need them in an emergency. Key numbers are:

· Social Security
· bank or other financial accounts
· credit cards
· health and life insurance
· driver's license

Gather information about services that can help for future or current needs. Consider:

· home care
· adult day services
· home delivered meals.

Pay attention to your own needs and take care of your own health. Key steps:

· eat properly
· get regular exercise
· get aside time each week to do something you enjoy. (see Managing Stress While Providing Care)

Speak up when you need help. Ask for help from family and friends before you get to the breaking point. Knowing when to get help is an important skill that helps caregivers keep going. (see Involving Others)

Find out about services that help caregivers and the older person. Consider:

· care/case management from a social service agency or a private service provider to help link your parents to services and benefits
· adult day services
· respite care that provides a break for the caregiver
· caregiver support groups in the community and on the Internet. (see Learning the Caregiving Language)

Seek help or training to improve your caregiving or coping skills. Hospitals, agencies, or community service agencies are good places to look for appropriate training program.

Videos Available. WRAAA has a variety of videos has several videos available to help you learn caregiving skills and assistance.