The Ultimate Caregiving Guide

I was recently waiting in the grocery store checkout line, glancing at the magazines and noticed that the March issue of Woman’s Day had a cover story entitled “The Ultimate Caregiving Guide.” Since I am a professional geriatric care manager, I picked it up, curious to see just how “ultimate” it was. The article far exceeded my expectations. Here’s why:

• The first part “tender loving care” told the story of caring for a loved one from the perspective of three generations: the Grandmother who needed assistance; the Daughter providing the assistance; and the Granddaughter who provided the necessary emotional support to her mother. This section addressed the struggles, frustrations and joys of the caregiving experience -- and any family in the midst of caring for an elder person could relate to these women. Unfortunately, in my experience, most of my clients’ adult daughters are not able to move closer to their parents to assist them as they age. One solution to this, especially for the “sandwich generation” who are taking care of both their own children and their parents, is to hire a geriatric care manager (generally a nurse or social worker) who can provide back-up support to an adult child who lives far from their parents, or can allow the caregiving child to take a vacation. Information regarding geriatric care management and how to locate one in your area can be found on the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers Web site: www.caremanager.org.

• The second part “the finances of caregiving” by Mary Hunt did an excellent job of identifying the legal documents we should all have. Additionally, her explanation of the difference between Medicare and Medicaid, what they pay for, and how they overlap was superb. Elder law attorneys are indeed the best resources for assisting seniors and families sort through the maze of paperwork. This section also addressed long-term care insurance and the CLASS Act provision in the healthcare reform legislation. Wartime Veterans and their spouses may also qualify for money to assist with paying for care either at home or in an assisted living community or skilled nursing home. This benefit is referred to Aid and Attendance benefit. Many Elder law attorneys can assist in filing the paperwork, and the big plus is they may not charge for this service.

• The third part “care package” was written by Gail Sheehy, author of Passages in Caregiving. Gail was her husband’s caregiver for 17 years so she has “walked the talk” and has been on the front lines of the caregiving process. This article is an excellent synopsis of the caregiving journey and should only encourage a family caregiver to read Passages in Caregiving. Gail also provides three websites that provide excellent resources for family caregivers. Both in this article and her book, Gail speaks of the need for caregivers to take a break even if it requires a hiring professional caregiver. The National Private Duty Association (www.privatedutyhomecare.org) and the National Association for Home Care and Hospice (www.nahc.org) provide information on how to choose a caregiver, as well as how to locate a reputable caregiving agency in your area.

You can read the article, here, or pick up a copy. The March issue of Woman’s Day should be on newsstands through March 15.