{"id":51,"date":"2019-02-13T21:35:28","date_gmt":"2019-02-13T21:35:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/illianacaresolutions.com\/blog\/?p=51"},"modified":"2019-02-13T21:35:28","modified_gmt":"2019-02-13T21:35:28","slug":"dont-wait-for-a-crisis-ways-to-create-an-aging-plan-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/illianacaresolutions.com\/blog\/?p=51","title":{"rendered":"Don\u2019t Wait for a Crisis: Ways to Create an Aging Plan Now"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It\u2019s easy to put off planning for a parent or loved one\u2019s care \nwhen that person is still healthy and able to care for themselves. \nRather than wait for a crisis to strike, take time to plan for how you \ncan maintain your loved one\u2019s  safety and quality of life. Here are five\n strategies to keep status quo. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When An Aging Parent is Fine\u2026Strategies to Maintain Status Quo<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

by Miriam Zucker, LMSW, ACSW, C-ASWCM<\/a> \u2013 Member of the Aging Life Care Association\u00ae<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As an Aging Life Care Specialist\u2122, I\u2019m often contacted by family \nmembers asking for reassurance that they are not overlooking a need of \nan aging loved one. Because these are not emergency or crisis calls, \nthese meetings give me an opportunity to discuss current care and future\n planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During a thorough assessment, I evaluate a broad array of areas \nincluding medical history, cognitive function, financial status, \nfamilial and community supports, as well as status of critical health \nand legal documents. When these questions don\u2019t raise any red flags, I \nfind myself having to reassure the family that they fortunate. But, at \nthe same time, like a good scout \u2013 be prepared and practice prevention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So just what is it I am telling families? It\u2019s something like car \nmaintenance. No squeaking brakes, or dashboard lights on, but you still \nbring your car in for maintenance. Some older adults, if you excuse the \nanalogy, are just like that. Blessed with good health \u2013 realistic and \naccepting of their needs \u2013 they can remain safely in their homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To maintain status quo, Aging Life Care Specialists suggest five strategies:<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

1. A medic alert pendant or bracelet.<\/strong> Look for a \nsystem that has a fall alert built into its sensor. Unlike the \ncommercials, there is no need to dial the phone, the sensor picks up on \nthe fall and calls the designated numbers immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Maintain a current list of all medications<\/strong> (and know where to find the list)<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. A notation of any food, medication, or latex allergies .<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

4.<\/strong> Prominently display a Community DNR<\/strong> (this is different than a hospital DNR).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. A daily check-in call.<\/strong> Such calls allow for an \nadult child (or designated caller) to pick up on the slightest of \nchanges in a parent\u2019s cognitive status. Infections in older adults \ntravel at lightning speed with altered mental status as one of the \nhallmarks that something is wrong. Urinary tract infections are \nnotorious for causing this altered status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One particular service that facilitates much of the above is Vial of Life <\/a>.\n The Vial of Life program helps individuals compile their complete \nmedical information and have it ready in their home for emergency \npersonnel to reference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These small but essential steps go a long way in helping an aging \nadult maintain his\/her independence while at the same time living safely\n in their beloved home. Don\u2019t wait for an emergency to seek the help of \nan Aging Life Care Specialist<\/a>.\n Connect with one now to start the assessment process and build a \nmaintenance plan that maximizes quality of life for everyone. Search for\n an expert at aginglifecare.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About the author: Miriam Zucker, LMSW, ACSW, C-ASWCM<\/a>,\n is an Aging Life Care Specialist practicing in Westchester County, New \nYork. A social worker by training, she also serves on the faculty of The\n Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging and Longevity where she helped found\n the Certificate Program in Geriatric Care Management.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

This blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute,\n nor is it intended to be a substitute for, professional advice, \ndiagnosis, or treatment. Information on this blog does not necessarily \nreflect official positions of the Aging Life Care Association\u2122 and is \nprovided \u201cas is\u201d without warranty. Always consult with a qualified \nprofessional with any particular questions you may have regarding your \nor a family member\u2019s needs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s easy to put off planning for a parent or loved one\u2019s care when that person is still healthy and able to care for themselves. Rather than wait for a crisis to strike, take time to plan for how you can maintain your loved one\u2019s  safety and quality of life. Here are five strategies to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,21,22,2,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-51","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-aging-in-place","category-aging-life-care-professionals","category-aging-parents","category-caregiving","category-samantha-colaianni"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/illianacaresolutions.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/illianacaresolutions.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/illianacaresolutions.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/illianacaresolutions.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/illianacaresolutions.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=51"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/illianacaresolutions.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":52,"href":"http:\/\/illianacaresolutions.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51\/revisions\/52"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/illianacaresolutions.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=51"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/illianacaresolutions.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=51"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/illianacaresolutions.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=51"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}