Making Difficult Decisions Together

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Making Difficult Care Decisions as a Family

One of the hardest conversations a family can have revolves around whether an aging loved one can continue to live safely at home. The key to navigating this challenge is to approach it as a team, including your loved one in the decision-making process every step of the way. The goal is not to take away independence, but to preserve it safely.

The First Priority: Keeping Your Loved One at Home

The overwhelming desire for most seniors is to remain in their own homes. Before considering a facility, explore all options to make this possible. An excellent first step is to consult an Aging Life Care Professional (formerly a Geriatric Care Manager). They can conduct an inexpensive in-home safety assessment and recommend simple modifications, like support rails or a lift chair, that can make a world of difference. This is especially critical when you are in the early stages of planning for Alzheimer’s or dementia.

The Power of Community

If it becomes clear that a senior should not live alone, the family’s first instinct is often to move them into an adult child’s home. However, it is vital to consider the importance of their community. Uprooting a senior from their network of friends, neighbors, church groups, and social clubs can create a crisis of its own, leading to isolation and dependence. Whenever possible, try to find solutions that allow your loved one to remain in their own community, surrounded by the familiar faces and activities that give them a sense of identity.

Exploring All Available Options to Pay for Care

Our firm is dedicated to helping seniors stay in their homes for as long as possible, and a major part of that is helping them access financial resources to pay for in-home care. Options include:

  • The VA Pension: This monthly benefit can be a crucial resource to pay for in-home caregivers. We can help you navigate the complex rules to qualify for the VA Pension.
  • Medicaid at Home: For those with limited income, this program can provide in-home care services.
  • Money Follows the Person: This is a special program that allows seniors who have been in a nursing home on Medicaid for at least three months to return to their community with significant in-home care support.

If a move to a facility becomes necessary, we can help you access public assistance to pay for the cost of that care, including Medicaid for nursing facility care or Special Assistance for assisted living.

These complex decisions are best made as part of a comprehensive plan for your family’s future. Call our office at (919) 256-7000 to schedule a consultation.