Whenever you are dealing with an elderly parent who's health is failing, you are going to be stressed. This is one of those times when you are not going to be at your best. You are already worried about whether you are doing the right thing for your parent by keeping them at home and hiring a home nurse to take care of them as opposed to moving them into a nursing home. You have to deal with the rest of your family. You are watching your parent, who was once the person who took care of you; grow weaker and more ill with each passing day.
The good news is that when a home nurse is employed to take care of your aging parent they don't expect to see you or your family at their best. They understand that you are not going to be at your best. Hopefully they have been properly trained and know how to handle the stressed family as well as they know how to take care of their cranky, confused patient.
The first thing you can do to make sure that the home nurse who is going to be taking care of your elderly parent's medical needs is to make sure that nurse has a personality that compliments you and your family. The way you get a nurse that suits your family's personality is being sure that you are completely honest with the agency you are using to locate the home nurse. Make sure your description of your family, their routine, and your parent's medical needs is completely true. The more honest you are about your needs and requirements the easier it will be for the agency to match you with a home nurse. If your parent needs to be physically lifted and moved make sure that you request a nurse with enough strength to get the job done.
When you are told that a nurse has been found for your parent, make sure you meet the nurse before they start taking care of your parent. Make sure this is a person whom you are comfortable welcoming into your home. If the nurse is, for whatever reason, not someone you are comfortable with, politely request a new nurse.
Make sure that both you and home nurse are both perfectly clear on what the nurse will be doing while she is in the home. When the nurse is just coming to the home for a few hours a day it is easy to know and understand that they are a professional that is doing a job. The line between health care and house keeper can become a little more blurred. Before the nurse ever moves into the spare bedroom, make a list of what they will and won't be doing. Make sure the whole family understands. Having a clear understanding of the nurses responsibilities will make everyone's life's easier and will make the whole experience as pleasant as possible.
Remember that the home nurse is a professional. They are in your home to take care of a family member, but they are not an actual member of your family. Make sure that your maintain a polite, friendly, but professional relationship with the home nurse
Having had the experience of loosing my grandmother due to the Alzheimer's disease (AD) I have been really reluctant to speak about my beloved grandmother's condition for a long time with anyone else except her personal home nurse. This woman appeared to my child eyes as a representation of an angel, since she was able to take care of my grandmother who has always been taking care of me. Her love and devotion to her profession, made me consider her as the next Maria Teresa that one day I would proudly admit to have met. Today, after conducting some research on the subject of nursing, I understood that a home nurse taking care of Alzheimer's disease patient is a very difficult issue and it can be a huge burden. Especially if the nursing is offered by a close family member, this act of caring and love can become too hard for one to bear and can be too time consuming even for those we would love to take care of, like our parents. Thus, researching and finding a nursing home for those we love but sadly suffer from AD has to be a conscious decision.
Preparing for such a crucial stage in one's life is advised by experts, who support that when one feels that there is not yet a need to do anything-grandparents or parents are still young enough-then it is time to start planning ahead in order to avoid a crisis situation later. Even if you may never need a nursing home, it is wise to act in a proactive manner just in case something happens. As many can attest, having to make a decision during a crisis situation can be an extremely difficult, stressful and painful process for everyone involved.
First, begin by researching your area's library and learning as much as possible on the Alzheimer's disease and current methods of treatment. By finding out as much information as possible, one is not oblivious to the possibility that this disease may appear in the future and it is always better to be knowledgeable than ignorant and to be proactive. It is also a good idea to begin creating a list of nursing homes that operate in your area and are certified to treat Alzheimer's disease patients. You local Alzheimer's Association, or an elder law firm, can give you such information as a list of the facilities that offer dementia care or at least a dementia unit.
In case you are searching for a facility that will be able to host your beloved family member or friend as soon as possible, then it is advisable to check the following. First of all, try to estimate how the clinic's appearance and general look made you feel when you entered its premises. Extremely important is if they are license accredited and also if you and your family will be allowed to visit your beloved one as often as you like. The facility's location, cost of service and type of services provided, have to be explicitly checked in relation to the needs and schedules. Finally, check how the doctors, nurses and administrative personnel working there react to your questions and observe their behavior to Alzheimer patients that they already treat. Instances of socialization, encouragement and methods should be provided by the clinic's staff to devote strength and energy in diverse activities, while keeping the focus on improving the patients' overall experience.
Apart from the annual cost, there is one more thing one has to consider before deciding if the nursing home is appropriate for a loved one with Alzheimer's; their overall happiness. Many people do quite well in nursing homes, while others suffer from depression. But keep in mind that usually the safe surroundings of most facilities for Alzheimer's care have their own activity director and many times the direct care staff are also trained to participate in activities with the residents with dementia. Taking care of a person with Alzheimer's is a difficult situation that you do not have to go through alone. Remember to ask for experts helps and rely on others.
Both Cdup & Kadence Buchanan are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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