Solutions For Families Requiring Long Island Elder Care Amenities

| Friday, November 9, 2012
By Tameka Ware


Senior members of the family will eventually require additional living assistance as they grow older. Sadly, not everybody is in a position to meet the needs of their elderly relatives. They may be facing many other pressures and demands. Possibly, they will not have the time, resources, or indeed medical skills required to provide adequate support. For families such as these in Long Island elder care facilities are available.

Everybody has unique requirements; choosing the right option will depend upon a number of factors. In the first instance, the health status of the senior family member must be accurately assessed. The assessment must take into account not just their current needs, but also any changes that are likely to occur in the future. Families will also have to decide how much time they can devote to looking after a relative. Finally, there is a need to respect the wishes of the individual concerned.

In some cases an elderly person will have very specific medical needs. Some may have mobility problems and need assistance with daily living, such as bathing and feeding. Those that are perhaps a little frail, but otherwise physically and mentally capable, may simply need a little help with day to day chores. The aging process often leaves people feeling socially isolated. Providing stimulation and companionship may be just as important as medical support.

Many elderly people express a strong desire to remain in their own homes. This can be worrying for families that cannot be there for them all of the time. The installation of mobility aids, such as stair lifts or grab rails, can reduce the risk of accidents. Personal assistance alarms, worn either around the neck or on the wrist, can enable an individual to summon help should they have a fall.

It is also possible to hire a companion service. A roster of companions may stay at the home around the clock, or someone might just drop by at regular intervals. They can assist with general housekeeping. For example, they may fetch groceries, prepare meals and carry out basic housework to ensure the home remains safe. They can also provide much needed company, and help their charges to engage in a variety of recreational activities.

Those who need much greater assistance with daily living, or who have chronic medical conditions, may need qualified nursing support. This can, at some expense, be provided within the home setting. Most families, however, will be faced with the difficult decision of deciding whether or not to sell the relative's home in order to pay for residential care.

Assisted living facilities are becoming increasingly common. These allow residents to retain some degree of autonomy. They have their own private living quarters, but can also make use of adjoining social and medical facilities. Alternatively, a nursing home can provide twenty-four hour care for patients requiring permanent supervision.

It is not easy to choose the best way forward for an elderly relative. It is necessarily an emotional process as well as a practical one. For families in Long Island elder care facilities provide a range of options that should enable people to make the best choice for all concerned.




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