Describes what is needed to begin the caregiving process of aging parents.

1. CARING FOR
AGING PARENTS
How to Prepare

2. INTRODUCTION
▪ Jane Gurganious, LCSW-C , Safe Harbor Christian Counseling,
www.safeharbor1.com
▪ Practicing in public and private settings since 1991
▪ With Safe Harbor for 3 years,
▪ Heritage Pastoral Counseling Center for 13 years
▪ North Arundel Hospital 4.5 years

3. WHAT IS A CAREGIVER:
Caregiver, or informal caregiver is “an unpaid individual (for example, a
spouse, partner, family member, friend, or neighbor) involved in
assisting others with activities of daily living and/or medical tasks.
Formal caregivers are “Paid care providers providing care in one’s home
or in a care setting (day care, residential facility, long-term care facility)”
-Family Caregiver Alliance

4. CAREGIVING
STATISTICS
15.7million
34.2million
470Billion
Value of
unpaid
caregiving
Exceeded
total
Medicaid
spending
and nearly
matched
the sales
of Walmart
$477
billion
2013
Care for
and adult
aged 50 + Care for
patient
with
Alzheimers
or
dementia

5. THE CHALLENGES
OF CAREGIVING

6. • Driven by crisis - Care plans can’t be predicted in advance
• Care plan choices are driven by multiple, fluid factors:
• Medical needs
• Wishes of the loved one
• Relationship needs
• Spiritual needs
• Financial Resources

7. WHEN DOES
CAREGIVING BEGIN?

10. HOW TO CARE
FOR AGING
PARENTS
Virginia Morris

11. • Start a dialogue
• Ask them about their expectations, wishes
• Listen – this builds an alliance
• Make no promises!!!
• Start a conversation with siblings, use technology if needed.

13. Gather Financial Information
• Determine income sources, bills, medical costs, etc.
• Collect deeds, birth/death certificates, divorce decrees, life insurance policies in one place.
• Do they have premade funeral arrangements or a burial trust?
• Begin collecting bank statements.
• Medicaid requires 4.5-5 years of bank statements for their nursing home care application.
• Easy access to vital information is critical during a crisis.

14. Estate Planning
• Elder Law Attorney
• Will assist with Wills, Living Will, Power of Attorney for Healthcare, and General Power of
Attorney.
• Consult with them before making any changes to bank accounts.
• Draw up free Living Wills and Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care at :
www.free-legal-document.com
• Hospitals often have free copies too. Contact the Social Work department.

15. • Clean out/Repair their home
• Long process requiring parent’s
approval. Might have to wait until
they are out of the home.
• Resist the urge to do major upgrades
that will not significantly add to the
home value.
• Home sales are often used to pay for
nursing home care which can run
about $10,000 per month

16. Tools to Stay Organized
• Caregiver Notebook
• Bullet Journal www.bulletjournal.com
• Use phone or tablet to keep copies of essential
medical information
• Set up on online calendar like Google or iCal.
• Create a private Facebook group www.facebook.com
or use Caring Bridge www.caringbridge.com or Care
Pages www.carepages.com.

17. Guilt
• Tends to be a problem due to cultural, family, personal, and religious
expectations.
• These expectations might not be reasonable.
• Guiding principle for health care choices: Choose a care plan that will
maximize the health and well-being of the loved one and the care
giver(s).

18. Signs your
Parent/Loved One
Needs Help
1.Unsteady gait
2.Poor hygiene
3.Increase/decrease in weight
4.No longer maintains yard
5.Sudden change in personality
6.No food in the house

19. 7. Unopened mail/unpaid bills
8. Misses appointments, gets lost, forgets/loses important things
9. Car has dents, driving violations
10. You don’t feel comfortable driving with children in the car
11. They no longer do what they enjoy

20. 12. Mail is filled with new subscriptions, sweepstakes, donation
requests
13. They have a new best friend – possible fraud

21. Signs the Caregiver Needs Help Urgently
1. Angry, frustrated, ill-tempered
2. Eating too much/too little
3. Sleeping too much/too little
4. Drinking more than usual
5. Lashing out at others
Go to: www.eldercare.gov for support
services

22. Caregiver Care for Thyself!
• Don’t be a martyr
• Get help from family/friends/church members
• Get rest, exercise – walk in the sun 20 minutes daily
• Get a massage
• Use respite care
• Attend a support group: www.aacounty.org/aging

23. Final Thoughts
• Effective caregiving begins long before placement is needed.
• Pace yourself – it’s a long distance run.
• It is crisis driven.
• Care plans are driven by medical needs, personal choice, and financial
resources.
• Educate yourself about local resources.

24. While caregiving, social
workers are your strongest
advocates.