Portland Home Care - Guardian Angel Caregivers in Portland OR gives family members tips on helping yourself be a better family caregiver. If you need help caring for an elder or senior in your family, please call us at (503) 698-2020.
So what can be done to close the communication gap between adult children and aging parents in Portland?
Seniors and adult children need to get the conversation started, according to Dr. Edward Schneider, Dean Emeritus of the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology at the University of Southern California . “Often, families discuss these critical life issues under duress usually after a life-changing event impacts their families or friends,” Schneider notes. “The time to talk and plan is now, when plans can be made proactively. Developing these action plans is imperative, enabling families to have peace of mind and a sense of control over their future,” he adds.
There are a number of helpful tools available. One is the “Connecting the Generations Conversation Guide,” a 24-page free book with tips to help initiate conversations on critical health and aging issues. The Guide is produced by WellPoint, Inc., a health benefits company that offers healthcare plans and services. Wellpoint, Inc. sponsored the Roper study as part of an initiative to help educate and involve families in health care planning.
Another is a new website launched by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in December. The goal of the website, www.longtermcare.gov, is to make it easier for consumers to get the information they need to plan for long-term care. The National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care Information site provides comprehensive information about long-term care planning, services and financing options, along with tools to help people begin the planning process.
Whatever route you take, the first step in closing the gap begins with you. Don’t wait another year to initiate conversations and make decisions that will impact the quality of life of your aging loved one. Start today.
Tags: Alzheimer's care portland OR, elder home care portland, senior services portland
