Planning Vacations With Your Aging Loved One

By Bob Brueckman, Owner

BrightStar Care

. http://www.brightstarcare.com/

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Planning Vacations With Your Aging Loved One

As we get closer and closer to spring breaks and summer vacation season, many children and other family members of aging loved ones may be spending additional time visiting Mom, Dad, Grandma or Grandpa.

If planning a vacation with your aging loved one, it is important to remember that increased travel can be challenging for someone with mobility issues and especially for a person with memory loss if he or she is not accustomed to long car or airplane trips or time spent in unfamiliar environments such as other homes and public places. These changes to his or her daily routine may result in anxiety, challenging behaviors and a greater risk for wandering off or falling.

For many of you, extra time spent with an aging loved one may reveal that he or she is no longer able to independently care for him or herself. When the needs of an aging loved one progress beyond his or her own capabilities, and there are issues with mobility, performing routine activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing and toileting, meal preparation and medication management, family members are tasked with determining a course of action for the care of that person. The need for prompt decision making may be even more crucial if dementia and other cognitive impairments are present or if one's personal safety is an area of concern.

For those that wish for their loved ones to “age in place” in familiar surroundings, either in their own home or in the home of a loved one, there are services available in your community to ensure that your loved one is cared for, happy and above all safe when you are unable to provide that care and supervision yourself. Mom or Dad may simply need a couple of hours of assistance in the mornings and/or evenings, or he or she may require care and supervision for the bulk of the day depending on physical and cognitive functionality.

When looking for home care services, it's important to do your research there are a number of online resources available for finding eldercare services or talk to friends or coworkers who may have been in similar situations and pursue services that best meet the individual needs of your loved one and your family. It's also important to find a caregiver with whom you feel comfortable entrusting the care of your loved one someone who wants he or she to be as safe and secure as you do and someone who gives you peace of mind knowing that your loved one's needs are being met.