It’s difficult thinking about caring for older loved ones, especially if you have watched them decline from peak vibrancy. It’s especially a challenge with the restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Long-term senior care facilities have been hit particularly hard by the coronavirus, and it’s going to require no small amount of work (and no small amount of money) to rethink how these facilities operate in the short and long term.
But where does that leave you? What are your options for taking care of your senior loved ones? As the pandemic continues, you will need to take even more care to make decisions that impact their health and happiness — and it’s not going to be easy.
House to Home Organizing presents a look at only some of the things you’ll need to think about when taking care of your elderly loved ones in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Types of long-term care
Before you make any decisions, you need to know what your options are. There are two basic umbrellas for care: personal and skilled. Personal care would apply to loved ones who don’t need medical assistance — they just need help doing things such as housekeeping and need companionship. If you are considering moving your senior loved one into your home, that would fall under the “personal” category. Skilled care refers more to those who need assistance with medicines, wound care, or mobility assistance. Under this category, your loved ones would probably be moving into long-term care facilities.
Have the appropriate forms
When moving your loved one into a long-term care facility or even just when making financial decisions on their behalf, you will need to have the proper documents on file. These files include (but aren’t limited to) a power of attorney and living will. These are important documents, and can provide the legal ability for you to make decisions for your loved ones should they become unable. What’s more, if you get these documents now, before you need to use them, your loved ones will be able to decide of their own volition to give you that power.
Moving into a new space
When you’re moving your senior loved ones — whether it’s into your home or into a smaller space for them — it can be a daunting task to sift through all their belongings and organize them into “keep,” “donate,” and “garbage” piles. Hiring a professional organizer like House to Home Organizing can help decrease that stress and bring an objective eye to the selection process. Making sure these professionals have effective COVID-19 prevention measures in place is critical for you and your loved ones at this time.
It’s critical to stay organized and clean — it helps keep the stress levels down, especially in these challenging times. Keeping the bathroom spotless can help alleviate some of the stress when it comes time to sell your loved one’s house, for instance.
Partner with people who care
In addition to keeping the home clean and making sure you’re decluttering the space properly, you should also consider partnering with a real estate agent when selling your loved one’s home. Working with a realtor can take a lot of the stress out of the selling process; having an expert to consult can alleviate confusion and forget about stressing over paperwork because they can walk you through the process.
Experts are great things to have at hand. Are you getting ready to move your loved ones into a smaller space? Whether you’re looking at a long-term care facility or your own home for your loved ones, hiring a professional can help keep the process smooth. The experts at House to Home Organizing can help you keep track of things while you do the hard parts — and yes, we offer virtual services as well! Contact us today by calling 203-571-9412.
