The Senior Care Organizer & Why You Need One
It’s been said that “the best age to be is the one you are.” So getting older really doesn’t have to be a “big deal.” Why? Because aging is a natural transition of life. Consider these statements: “If we plan for it, we can be successful at aging.” “Being prepared won’t allow the future to dictate your life, or the life of someone you may be caring for.”
Or as Yogi Berra might have put it: “If you don’t have a plan for successful aging, that’s when you need it.”
Think about it! Here’s some examples of planning: we have car insurance, just in case; we have home owner’s insurance in case there’s a fire; we save money for the proverbial “rainy day;” many of us socked money away for retirement; we set up vacation time to make sure we have a seat on the plane and/or a room to stay in.
THE BIG QUESTION: Why is it that so many of us don’t set up a plan to be organized for possible senior care needs? Why not know answers before the questions come up? This is where the Senior Care Organizer comes in.
So maybe life is generally going along all right for you: your health is good, you still like your job (thankful you have one), or you’re enjoying retirement; kids are doing fine in school or maybe they’re already off on their own, but all in all….. no big problems.
Until things changed…………..
You or your spouse is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
Your Mother, who was perfectly healthy, has a major stroke.
Your Dad often gets lost when he’s driving.
Your Grandmother can’t remember to take all of her medications.
Your husband needs help with bathing and dressing due to Parkinson’s.
OR, you may have circumstances like our family did:
“Your Mother has Parkinson’s.” She had been falling more often.
“Did you know that your parents have to crawl up the steps in order to get back up to the main level? My Aunt and Uncle told me this after one of their visits.
“When Dad brings the car home, there are often new dents in it.” My brothers noticed.
The Adventure Begins:
Our adventure into helping care for our parents began in 2000 and lasted until March of 2011. We had questions galore… here’s just a few:
What can we do to make the house safer?
Mom and Dad may have to move… Dad won’t want to.
Where do we find help?
Where do they move to?
How do they pay for this?
What do we need to do first?
Wow! Did I learn alot. (I’m a nurse, but in very few ways did that help). I kept everything. I made notes. I talked to people. I made copies of documents and forms. I set up a Notebook and carried it everywhere. That Notebook was the key to keeping everything organized and made it so much easier to manage all of the various caregiving details that changed over the years as our parents’ care needs changed.
What was the Result? The Senior Care Organizer
As the years of caregiving rolled by, the amount of information increased to the point of “folder overload.” I decided to use all that I’d learned to make it easier for others who were currently (or who may eventually be) caring for aging parents or other senior adults; or who should be planning ahead for their own possible future senior care needs.
WHY? Personally, I think being organized is an important key for successful aging. Being prepared doesn’t let the future dictate your life. I can honestly tell you that the Senior Care Organizer helps take the stress out of aging challenges.
WHAT IS IT? The Senior Care Organizer is a “problem-solver.” Here are some sample questions it answers:
* Where do I start?
* What information should I have readily available?
* Who can help me locate a place for my wife and me to live? She needs additional care.
* How can I tell when a senior needs more help?
* What if I need in-home care for my husband?
* What are some ways to improve safety around the home?
HOW DOES IT WORK? The Organizer lays out a ‘step by step’ plan. It provides quick access to the information since the topics are in alphabetical order. There are worksheets to be filled out, which are easily revised, then printed for storage in your own Notebook. It also provides you with resources, ideas and information for answering many “senior care-related” questions. All you have to do is download the ‘interactive’ PDF file to your computer and get started.
GET ALL YOUR DUCKS IN A ROW
- We don’t know what the future holds as it relates to what medical or physical needs we will have.
- We should organize our own information for possible future use by family members or others in case of our own possible healthcare changes or emergency.
- People who anticipate stepping into a “caregiver” role and make some plans, feel less burdened in an emergency than people who’ve made no plans at all.
NEXT STEP!
- Explore the seniorcareorganizer.com website for more information about the Organizer; check out Helpful Articles, Links and other resources.
- Click on the Purchase Tab, and you will receive directions to download the Senior Care Organizer PDF file to your computer. In other words….
ORDER YOUR OWN SENIOR CARE ORGANIZER
and GET ORGANIZED NOW!
“If you don’t have a plan for successful aging, that’s when you need it.”