“I don’t want my kids to become my caregiver. Therefore, if the time comes along that I can no longer care for myself, I want to go to a retirement community or nursing home, so they do not have to worry or do anything”

A typical client states “I don’t want my kids to become my caregiver. Therefore, if the time comes along that I can no longer care for myself, I want to go to a retirement community or nursing home, so they do not have to worry or do anything”

However, this is not reality. The obligation for caring for elderly parents never goes away. If a parent is placed in a facility, your work is not finished. Although, you do not have the day to day pressures of daily “hands on” caregiving, most children spend numerous hours, managing their parent’s finances, health and daily needs, ie meals, doctors’ appointments and transportation. Overseeing your parents care, even at a facility is a full-time job. You need to be there, to be an advocate. If not, your parents care and quality of life can suffer.

Being a child non “hands on” caregiver, you have all the worries and struggles, but you do not have the same interaction with your parent, if you were the actual caregiver. Therefore, a lot of children feel inadequate because they cannot take care of their parent. Additionally, they take on guilt and regret.

However, you have to face the reality of the situation, if a parent needs skilled care, has Alzheimer’s disease, a wander risk or a threat to themselves, you have no option. To alleviate all the pressures of guilt, a support group or the family council, or professional counseling, are a great help.

Don’t return to guilt and regret. You have somewhere else to go.

Senior Life Care Planning offers a wide range of services to help maintain their client’s independence at home, or to advocate for their client’s rights and quality of life, at an assisted living facility or nursing home.

Many clients have benefited from the help from Senior Life Care Planning, “I could have never done this alone” or “someone out there to listen, understand, and guide has been invaluable” and another who said, “it had given me the opportunity to plan in a non-crisis environment.”

Please contact Senior Life Care Planning for FREE HANDBOOK about VA Benefits, Home Care, and others, written by David Wingate, an accredited VA attorney, of Senior Life Care Planning, LLC, go to www.seniorlcp.com to request the FREE HANDBOOK’S.