Did you realize that May is National Elder Law Month? National Elder Law Month celebrates and focuses on our aging population and the help that Florida seniors need. This month encourages not only seniors, but communities across the nation and adult family members to get involved. How can you help the elders in your life? More importantly, what do you do if your elder loved ones live out of town?
We know you may have questions on this important topic of how to stay involved with your out-of-town loved ones. We would like to share some tips to help you stay involved with your loved ones.
1. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate. You should call often and visit when you can. In addition, encourage other family members and friends to call and visit. Along with being a nice thing to do, regular communication helps prevent isolation, and can identify unmet needs. Try some leading questions, for instance, “What are you doing this morning?” or “How is Dr. Smith?”
2. Create and Use a Caregiving Notebook. Creating an online digital notebook of doctors, health providers, insurance agents, friends, neighbors and other important contacts for an elder loved one is essential. You can also share it with other family members. Everyone could also have an online calendar to keep up-to-date with your loved one’s appointments and activities.
3. Local Support is Vital. Develop relationships with key individuals who are in regular contact with your older family members, such as neighbors, care providers, doctors and perhaps church members. Try to develop friendly two-way communication, this way you may be able to prevent any emergencies from arising.
4. Set-Up Daily Assistance. This type of long distance relationship is difficult especially for seniors who live out-of-town. It is, therefore, important to build up their care network. You can coordinate with various organizations and individuals to schedule frequent assistance, such as meal deliveries, social visits, and check-ups from home health aides.
5. Keep Other Family Members Involved. Trying to keep up with an out-of-town senior loved one can be a lot to handle. If possible, involve other family members to help with communication, health care, financial and legal responsibilities.
Do you have questions? The experienced team of attorneys here at Hemness Faller, The Law Office formerly known as Emma Hemness, P.A., are here for you and your family and we want to be YOUR estate planning and elder law attorneys. After all, we are ordinary people, providing extraordinary guidance backed by years of experience and advocacy for the vulnerable citizens in our community. We encourage you to contact us and schedule a meeting with us