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Community Corner

WHAT YOU CAN DO WHEN AN OLDER LOVED ONE NEEDS HELP...BUT THEY WON'T AGREE TO IT

   Senior Helpers Finds Seniors Adjust Quickly and End Up Appreciating the Assistance

    Senior Helpers knows it’s not unusual for seniors to be unaware or unwilling to admit, they need help.  Sometimes, it leads to loneliness, depression, missed or overdosed medication, dehydration or a fall. Unfortunately, these things can result in hospitalizations, weeks or months in rehabilitation-and sometimes even death.
    “Family members and close friends can often step forward and take action if a person is having health issues that require attention,” says Bob Tucker, qualified dementia care provider (QDCP) co-owner of Senior Helpers Northbrook office that serves north and northwest Chicagoland. They also are the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America Affiliate Office for the Chicago area.
     “Friends and family members can often help a great deal and provide loving support for many hours a week, but can they provide enough time, and do they have the patience and training required to help the person in need,” adds Tucker.
    If you find yourself worried about a loved one because of physical issues or cognitive challenges like Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias–here are some ideas you can use to help convince a loved one to accept help:
         
           ❑ Start small.
                Begin with a small number of hours of help. Let the caregiver assist with small things like driving, housekeeping, straightening a closet, helping with the laundry, taking out the garbage or doing something fun.
           ❑ Set up a two-week trial.
               Many seniors find they love the help once they give it a try.
           ❑ Get orders from the doctor.
       Ask the doctor to write a prescription for care because many people will follow doctors’ orders.
          ❑ Introduce the caregiver as a personal assistant for your loved one.
              Don’t introduce the person as a caregiver, but as a personal assistant who has come to help.
          ❑ Don’t give up if the need is real-mention it again in a week or so.
              What was discussed last week may have already been forgotten. Things can change quickly for seniors-and if you know help is really needed-don’t just give up and wait for the crisis to happen.
          ❑ Discuss the importance of your peace of mind.
              Some seniors will agree to accepting help if they understand how worried you are about them.
          ❑ Do an in-depth assessment.
              Senior Helpers and other firms in our field, can do a thorough assessment and provide a skilled perspective on the care that may be needed.

          “You may also want to go to www. stayathomescore.com to take a quiz that will accurately measure if assistance is needed-or not,” says Abbie Tucker, M.A. senior advocate and client services director, certified senior advisor (CSA), qualified dementia care provider (QDCP) and  co-owner of the Northbrook Senior Helpers office. “We hope you never need these tips, but if you do, be proactive before a crisis changes everything. We provide more than 50 types of services to assist people and can help from one hour a week to 24-hours each day.”
    
        If you would like to learn more about helping aging loved ones, Bob Tucker is speaking at the Mather Café Senior Center, 7134 W. Higgins Road, in Chicago, at 1:00 p.m., Thursday, June 19, 2014, or contact: Bob Tucker at rtucker@seniorhelpers.com, call 847-564-7500 or visit their website at www.seniorhelpers.com.


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