When you’re not right there with your elderly family member it’s tough not to feel as if you’re completely out of the loop. Things get even more complicated if your elderly family member is adamant about having as much independence as possible.

Talk to Your Senior about a Plan

One of the first things you and your senior need to do is to set up a plan for communication and other details. When you’ve got a plan, that lets each of you know what to expect. You’re going to want to outline when you check in with each other and how you’re going to indicate to each other that all is well. This can be really important for balancing expectations because your senior may not want to talk every day. But if you have a low-frustration way to check in with her without making her feel as if you’re intruding, that helps both of you.

Consider Adding Senior Care Providers to the Mix

For some added relief, you might want to negotiate senior care services with your senior. Bringing in senior care providers gives you a chance to have someone on the scene with your elderly family member. They can let you know if they’re seeing anything that’s truly concerning and they can help your senior with all sorts of situations. It’s a winning solution for both of you.

Figure out How Tech Tools Can Help

There are a lot of bits and pieces of technology that can help you and your senior to navigate this new situation. Using video conferencing and video calling can give you and your senior a way to check in where you can see how she’s doing for yourself. Another idea might be using home alarm systems that check in with your senior and that offer remote video options. Personal alarm systems have come a long way, too, and that might be a compromise your senior is okay with.

Try Not to Let Panic Be Your First Feeling

It’s really tough to not panic when you’re worried about your elderly family member. If you’re not getting a response from her when you expect one, that’s even more of a problem. Panic doesn’t serve you well, though, so it’s important for you to be able to get a handle on it before it takes over completely. Having some of these other systems in place can help you to keep that panicked feeling under control.

Being a long-distance caregiver can feel like a balancing act at times, but you and your senior can work this out.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Senior Care in Claremont, CA, call the caring staff at Aviva In-Home Care.
Call today: (415) 795-2203

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Evan Loevner

CEO at Aviva In-Home Care

As a former hospital administrator, I launched Aviva with the goal of having a more focused, direct impact on the delivery of care than I could ever accomplish within a hospital setting. For me, the joy of running an organization like Aviva In-Home Care is having the ability to positively improve the lives of individuals needing customized care. As a passionate Bay Area resident, I know that many local seniors can benefit from new approaches to in-home care, that will bring them more connection to the community, and provide families with a greater sense of comfort that their loved one is indeed matched with an ideal caregiver.

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