Taking a Vacation Without Mom or Dad
Sometimes, taking an extended break to recharge your levels is the best way to care for your loved one. Here are some tips to help you plan in advance when leaving care to someone else:
- Family members. Ask other family members several months to a year ahead of time when you'd like a break so that can prepare. If they are remote from where you and your elder live, then have them arrive early so that you can go over your routine with them. This is especially important if your elder has memory problems and easing them into the same routine with a different person can help keep down the elder's anxiety.
- Agencies. If seeking help from an agency, give yourself at least three months of lead-generation time to find the right home caregiver. Trial several agencies and their senior caregivers before you leave for your break.
- Facilities. Just as you would seek help from an agency, start researching facilities for short-term residential care three months ahead of time. Try having lunch with your elder there several times in order to get him or her acclimated as well as to find out if the facility is suitable. Also, the staff and administration will be thankful that you gave them enough notice for them to meet your schedule.
- Geriatric care managers. Geriatric care managers can actually offer "vacation packages" where they find and hire care and provide supervision while you're gone.
These other services can be helpful if your relative does not need assistance with personal care:
- checking in daily with a call to a friend, nearby relative, or a phone visiting service;
- a medical alert system for your elder to press in case he or she needs to summon emergency help;
- meals-on-wheels
Also ensure that all bills are up to date or prepaid and that adequate supplies of medications are on hand.
In case of emergency, leave complete information about your relative’s medical insurance, health history, current prescriptions, and doctor and pharmacy contacts. Include a completed advance care directive where someone can easily find it and instructions about how to reach you.
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