Excerpts—Elder Caregiving Guide; Ask for Help; Tax Tips; Choose a Nursing Home

Elder Care Guide for Families New to Caregiving

Frank Myers from the Home Instead office the UK sends us Elderly care: A guide for families new to caring.
This guide overviews what’s available in elderly care while also addressing more practical issues including: care options (e.g., in-home care, care homes, and assisted living); paying for care (including options for readers in the UK); and additional considerations, including: legal, home modifications, and assistive technologies. Read this wherever you are based, because what you learn may spark a useful idea for your own situation. “Around 45% of older people in residential elderly care homes and 20% of those receiving home care are entirely self-funded. Experts predict that the number of [these even partially self-funded elders] will rise soon, as public funds become increasingly stretched. Therefore, the guide points families towards alternative financial options to state support.”

Tax Tips for Seniors and Senior Caregivers

Just in time for tax season, Eleanor Green of Senior Homes sends us a piece edited by Joshua Iversen, Certified Financial Planner: Tax Tips for Seniors and Senior Caregivers. Topics include long-term care insurance, medical expenses, and tax incentives for family caregivers if their care situation meets certain IRS rules

Actor Encourages Family Caregivers to Ask for Help

Emmy-winning actor Hector Elizondo, age 86, remains healthy. He exercises daily, “as he’s done since he was a teenager, and he reads voraciously, keeping his body and mind sharp. His good health is even more remarkable given that his mother and four of her sisters were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.” He is doing what he can to ward off Alzheimer’s disease. He’s witnessed his father waste away doing everything while caring for his mother who was diagnosed with “pre-senile dementia” in the 1960s. Both passed when he was in his late 30s. Elizondo’s mission is to educate others about caregiving. “When I have the opportunity, I remind people that they have to be prepared as a family—this is a team effort. You can’t take care of Mom or Dad on your own. It’s not fair to anybody.”

Thank you to Generations SmartBrief ASA’s 70th year for this article.

5 Steps to Choosing the Right Nursing Home for Your Loved One

While nursing homes are transitioning into other care options due to lawsuits, care complaints, and costs for families, Cutter Law offers tips for those caregiving families whose limited options include nursing home care. “A well-selected nursing home ensures that residents receive proper medical attention, emotional support, and a safe environment, promoting their overall health and happiness in their later years.” First assess your loved one’s need for nursing care. Then consider these five steps to choosing the right nursing home for your loved one: (1) check the nursing home’s accreditation; (2) review their track record; (3) get recommendations; (4) observe, review, and/or discuss six areas when visiting; and finally, (5) review options, costs, and contracts. Also, here’s a 20-point checklist as a one-page PDF: to Cutter Law’s Choosing a Nursing Home Checklist

Wandering Risks with Older Adults

Thanks to the National Council on Aging, caregivers will be more aware of the common signs of wandering among those with cognitive impairment. According to this article, about 36% of people with dementia will wander. The Alzheimer’s Association raises this figure to 60% of people with Alzheimer’s. While most think they “know” where they are going, if you’ve ever cared for a loved one who has wandered, you know how painful the risk is—sometimes, the outcome is fatal.