Families have a choice

All to often, I hear families discuss how overwhelmed they are when trying to find the right plan of care for their parents or mom or dad. It can get overwhelming, but families do have choices.

In the Chicagoland area, families are fortunate to have an over abundance of communities and people in the field to help them decide the right option, however, sometimes families don't take the time or are given the time to really assess and research what really is the best option.

It is always advisable for families to do their homework ahead of time. Even if a decision does not need to be made right away, having the information ahead of time can save a lot of time and worry for if and when something does happen. 

Ask, Ask, Ask. Call your local church, village hall, senior center to ask for help. They are inundated with information to help direct all possible options. 

Set up appointments, ask friends and neighbors, or join support groups. Before deciding if your loved one should have a caregiver or move into a retirement community, meet with people from these industries before hand; find out what they have to offer. Most home care agencies provide a free, no obligation consultation and all retirement communities allow for the families to tour and meet with a representative from the community. 

Ask your friends and neighbors. Word of mouth is key with many decisions a person makes. A person is more likely to use a place based on a recommendation from another trusted individual.  Both positive and negative remarks hold a lot of weight when making big decisions.

Join a support group. All support groups have a specific issue that is discussed, however, an individual can also find a lot of great information out of these meetings, plus it's another way to meet people in your community trying to figure out the same problems or make some of the same decisions you're trying to make.

Regardless or where your loved one is at, home, hospital, or in a retirement community, all families have the right to ask or to change their loved ones plan of care. If something doesn't feel right, you have the liberty to make those changes, regardless of what other personnel might express.

****Remember Family Care Workshops
Learn how to deal with Alzheimer's and other Dementias. Learn techniques on how to manage the challenging behaviors and take some time with our Virtual Dementia Tour. It provides the individual to step into the shoes of someone with dementia.
Thursday, September 26 at 6:30 The Morton Grove Civic Center
6140 Dempster St. 2nd floor Craft Room
Morton Grove, IL Call Tessa to RSVP 847-673-1250