Why You Should Consider Getting Care Before You Think You Need it

It’s an unfortunate truth of life that we often only do things when they must be done. We fix things when they break instead of taking action to stop them from breaking down in the first place. The same can be applied to care. If you spot your parents or loved ones are deteriorating, then it might be time to get a small amount of care in early instead of waiting for something to go seriously wrong.

This is especially the case when one of your loved ones is at risk of being overly burdened because of the increased needs of a partner. When one half of couple becomes increasingly infirm, perhaps through a worsening existing condition, or the onset of something new then its natural that their partner takes on more of the everyday tasks. In many cases and especially in the early days this can be inconvenient and time consuming and no more than that, but there is a point at which it may begin to impact on their own health and mental well-being, which may in turn further jeopardise their ability to care for their partner.

Getting help in early, even if its only with everyday tasks like meals and cleaning can help protect them and enable them to give more effective for their partner, rather than risk them becoming rundown and overly tired.

What are the benefits of early elderly care?

There are several reasons why it may make sense to consider light support for elderly people:

1. It can help spot problems early to get help and stop them getting worse

2. It provides an extra support network for your loved ones

3. It provides psychological help for your loved ones to know there are people they can talk too.

4. It eases the burden of work and prevents them being worn down

It gives more time for everyone

Discussing care early can allow you to have a good conversation about a difficult subject but having it early can uncover opinions and desires that you were unaware of which can in turn help you understand more about what’s going on. It can also give you more time to consider your options.

Caremark Basingstoke have put together a guide to how to The conversation can take place in whichever environment your loved one feels most comfortable, without the added stress of being in hospital.

Your loved one might have a condition (such as dementia) that progressively impedes their decision-making abilities. In such cases, an early decision is likely to be more representative of their true wishes.

Consider all your care options

Your loved one should have a say over their preferred forms of care and who provides it. Speaking about this earlier will give you more time to do your research, organise meetings or visitations and help them feel comfortable in their final decision. And, this process takes time.

Your loved one’s main care options are:

• Residential care: Your loved one leaves their home, moves into a dedicated facility and receives care alongside other older people with varying needs.
• Live-in care: Your loved one stays in their own home, supported by their own dedicated carer who is always present to provide personally adapted care and 24/7 support. Call us to discuss Live-in-Care with Caremark Basingstoke.
• Domiciliary care: Your loved one stays in their own home and is visted at regular intervals by carers who do agreed tasks which can evolve over time.

Avoid additional stress

If this decision is made following a decline in your loved one’s abilities, adapting to this new way of life is likely to be stressful enough on its own. Helping your loved one choose their preferred means of care before it’s critical ensures they only have to come to terms with one thing at a time.

Your loved one might even decide they want to set up a care arrangement imminently. Carers could then monitor their condition and mitigate any risks to help avoid unnecessary hospital visits.

Knowing when to consider elderly care is never easy. But, starting the process early gives your loved one maximum say and helps reduce overall stress.

Please call Caremark Basingstoke and Deane even if it’s just for a chat about your options, issues or fears, we’re always here to help.