Life tends to move a little slower during the summer. Some people go on vacation, while others hunker down inside to beat the heat. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do: With the back-to-school season and the holidays coming right after, life tends to get a lot faster toward the end of August.
If you’re a family caregiver, now’s the time to make sure you’re ready for when life speeds back up. By checking in with your existing plans and making any arrangements as far as possible in advance, you can set yourself and any seniors in your life up for success.
Here’s how to do it.
Get Respite Care With the GUIDE Program
As you schedule summer events and appointments, you might be wondering how to ensure your friend or family member is cared for while you’re out of the house. The answer is respite care: temporary assistance from a professional caregiver that frees you to focus on other things.
Respite care is particularly important for caregivers of seniors with dementia. That’s what the Medicare GUIDE Program is for: it provides seniors with dementia who have a family or friend providing care with covered respite care. Those hours refreshed on July 1st, so now is the perfect time to schedule when you’re going to use them.
Make Medical Appointments Early
Older adults tend to see many specialists, who are often booking weeks or months out. To make sure you can get a convenient time slot, it’s best to schedule your friend or family member’s visits as far as possible in advance, including checkups and vaccines.
It’s also a good idea to book your own doctor’s visits while you’re at it. With plenty of advanced warning, it’s much easier to schedule respite care or other assistance so you can focus on your wellbeing without scrambling to find care.
At appointments, see if you can get a longer-term supply of any needed medications all at once or use a mail order pharmacy to reduce the number of errands you’ll need to run once the holidays roll around.
Schedule Routine Maintenance
Seniors are prone to overheating during the warmer months, so it’s crucial to help them practice summer sun safety. It’s just as important, however, to help their house stay cool during North Carolina’s blazing summers.
Schedule routine HVAC maintenance before it becomes an emergency, as summer is one of their busiest seasons. While you’re at it, clean air ducts and replace filters to improve both AC efficiency and air quality.
Once the inside of their home is cool and comfortable, take a walk around the perimeter of the house and look for any potential issues like:
- Any wasps’ nests around the outside of the house. Don’t be afraid to call pest control if needed.
- Overflowing gutters (especially if their home is surrounded by trees).
- Cracks in their exterior paint or concrete walkways.
Check On Their Resolutions
With more than half the year gone, it’s a great time to check in on New Year’s resolutions and see if they could use any support. Whether they’ve resolved to socialize more, exercise, travel or take better care of themselves, there are plenty of resources to help right here in Charlotte.
Regardless of your friend or family member’s resolution, it’s incredibly helpful to put fun events in their calendar. Having something to look forward to can give them reasons to be excited on good days and keep them going through bad ones.
It’s also helpful to pay for these experiences in advance if you can. Not only does this encourage seniors to commit and follow through, the positive anticipation can actually lead to much greater enjoyment.
Handle the Paperwork
While you’re planning for the rest of the year, it’s also a great time to make sure your friend or family member’s documents for senior care are all in order. They might not need it now, but it can be hard to predict when their needs will change, so it’s best to be ready.
Get Help Preparing for the Future in Charlotte, NC
It’s great to relax during the lazy days of summer, but it’s also important to be ready for when life speeds up again. With the back-to-school season and the holidays on the horizon, it’s a great idea to make sure you and your friend or family member are prepared.
Fortunately, FirstLight Home Care of Greater Charlotte is here to help. Through respite care, our dedicated caregivers offer temporary care for a senior in your life so you can focus on planning for the future, maintaining the home or just being present with seniors as a family member rather than a caregiver.
Want to learn more about how we can help? Contact us today.
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