Aged Care – The labyrinth. Which way do I turn?
Mum or Dad’s critical health event has found you stumbling through the labyrinth of information on Aged Care. It all sounds promising, but you really are not sure which way to turn.
And you need help fast! Just as much for yourself as you do for your ageing/ ill Mum or Dad. Whether it be a fall, a stroke, a heart attack or other diagnosis that has seen you watch Mum or Dad decline, you have now been forced to ask questions for now and the future that you had ignored to date. 95% of the people over 66 years of age we have researched have told us they plan a maximum of 5 years in advance when thinking about what their lifestyle/health and living circumstances will be. It’s a different story when it comes to finances; they plan as far as 10 years then. This is a little worrying; given most people we speak to daily will live at least another 15 years, if we consider average life expectancy.
At Functional Living we are about to embark on a fabulous journey of providing the employees of large corporates a series of seminars on Well-being in retirement. Functional Living will focus on the “Work to Home Transition” namely preparing you and your home for retirement. In addition, we will provide critical care planning facilitation to ensure that employees know how to negotiate the myriad of options available to them or their parents in terms of care. But for those of you who are not lucky enough to have your employers pay for your future planning or you have already retired, read following.
Women (and men) are having their children later in life and elderly people are living longer, and so there is a higher chance that new parents today will face a period in which both their parents and children will need support. This poses a pretty big issue. The people who feel they should be providing care to their parents, are possibly already caring for their own kids, maybe even grandkids, they are working and are also having to care for their own parents. That is a tough gig, even if you are super human!
Many have not considered options to assist them in caring for Mum and /Dad. On average, Australians will live until they are 81 years of age and this will increase with time. Only 1 in 20 older people live in a nursing home or hostel. More than 75% of older people own their own home and remain in the community where they have lived and worked.
A lot of people we see say: “Mum doesn’t want to go into a Nursing Home, but we may have no option”. They often say this without knowing all of the options available. Not all people will go through the same living arrangements as they age (we know this can be diverse), but here are a few other steps that need to be considered before the need for ‘nursing home care’ discussions (which we know most people who are facing do so with dread):
1. Facilitated family discussions about Care Planning. Know the options and using a trained facilitator. This can take the ‘heat’ out of conflicting family opinions. It also provides the facts on what is available. There is nothing worse than going around in circles and coming to no agreed plan.
2. Modify Mum and Dad’s home (or your own home), to i) make it easier for you and ii) easier for Mum and/dad and iii) any future carers to assist you if needed. This can be everything from a minor tweak here and there (security doors, ramps, grab and hand rails), gadgets that provide peace of mind (like personal alert buttons, shower stools) to a major renovation ( a remodelled bathroom that allows a seated shower and provides a non-slip floor).
3. Get some assistance at home: private and government assistance can be provided to give peace of mind to the family and Mum/Dad and provide a greater level of safety and enjoyment at home. There is so much available.
4. Look to downsize. We are constantly keeping our eye out on new accessible living options to suit many needs. If we don’t know your area, we will do some basic leg work and narrow down options for you. Occupational Therapists and Ergonomists will assess“down size” options that are most suitable for a specific functional need. Not all facilities advertised as “accessible” and/or "functional"will be, even if they are compliant with new Building codes and Australian standards.
5. Look for Care: When coping at home, even with support is just too much for everyone. Residential /aged care facilities and options can be explored. Have trained expert’s tour sites, narrowing down options according to your families wishes.
It could be one or all of the above options that sees you feel peace of mind, and Mum and Dad regain independence and integrity once more.
