Alzheimer’s and Long-Distance Caring
Alzheimer’s and Long-Distance Caring
When a loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, it can be challenging to care for them. It even becomes more difficult when you live out of town. But there are all types of ways to provide needed support even if you don’t live close.
What You Can Do
There are different ways to give your support long distance. You can provide emotional support, research for services within the community, or make medical appointments. You can arrange your visits when it does the most good to give the day-to-day caregivers a break.
Coordinating your family member’s care from long distance can be done by finding an in-home caregiver if needed. In-home caregivers come to the house and help your loved one with personal hygiene, preparing meals, or light housekeeping. An in-home caregiver can provide needed companionship plus keep you updated on your loved one’s condition.
You will need to keep in touch with the key members of the health care team for your family member. Be sure they can reach you at any time if there are concerns or changes in your loved one's condition, whether it be physical or mental. Your family member will have to sign a release of information so the health care providers can talk to you about their care.
When you do visit, reassess your loved one’s care needs. As Alzheimer’s progresses, the care your family member needs will have to be adjusted as time progresses. If your loved one is in the first stages, they may still be able to live alone with some help.
But, by the time the middle stage is reached, your loved one will need 24-hour supervision. So, when you visit, check with family or the in-home caregiver that your loved one’s needs are being met.
What Else Can You Do?
Call or text frequently to keep the lines of communication open. You can coordinate with the informal and formal caregivers, home health aides, and other services. Set aside part of your day to discuss regularly what both the loved one with dementia and the caregivers need from you.
Write up a contact sheet of phone numbers and addresses of family, friends, and neighbors who are willing to check on your loved one. You can coordinate the visits so they don't overlap. Remember that building a support network is an important step.
Keep on hand all the pertinent information, such as the contact information of your family member's doctor. You will also want the information of the in-home care agency, pharmacy that is used, and neighbors that are close by. You should keep on hand any essential legal and financial documents easily accessible in case they are needed quickly.
You can set up online payments so you can pay your loved one’s bills. This way, you can keep ahead of Medicare, Medicaid, or any private insurance claims. If your loved one has a long-term health care insurance plan, you can file a claim for home health care. You can pay for the utilities and even have groceries delivered to the home.
If you can’t visit in person regularly, then have the caregiver or in-home caregiver set up Facetime or Skype. You can have a chat face to face with your loved one. Just remember, as the disease progresses, you may have to remind them where you're calling from and why you’re not there in person.
Alzheimer’s is not an easy disease for your loved one or for you to live with. But we here at Right at Home can help. We are just one phone call away for excellent care of your loved one and peace of mind for you.