When Caregiving Shrinks Your World, Find a Perch
Before You Become a Caregiver: Essential Steps for Supporting Your Aging Parent
Being a caregiver for a parent can be rewarding — and life-altering — and sometimes both on the same day.
Before dutifully putting on the caregiver hat for Mom or Dad, there are critical things that all adult children should consider. Some of the considerations are emotional. Some are physical.
Some are financial. And some don’t neatly fit any definition. But giving careful thought to them first can mean the difference between a successful caregiving experience for all parties and a caregiving implosion.
Caregivers don’t just need plans to survive the chaos; we need momentsthat lift us above
If you have a parent or spouse nearing retirement age, chances are good that at some point you’ll be in the market for home health care.
Most Americans can expect to need some help as they age, and more than half of people (56 percent) turning 65 today are predicted to need significant long-term health services, according to a 2022 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services brief.
When to begin searching for home care help
As your loved one ages, watch for these signs. The behavior may be obvious or subtle, but they signal that it's time to talk to him or her about their living situation:
Changes in the condition of the home.
Forgetting appointments.
Driving unsafely.
Looking disheveled.
Forgetting things such as turning the stove off.
Wandering away from home.
Not eating regularly or nutritiously.
Not being able to prepare simple meals.
Not bathing regularly.
Falling frequently or having difficulty walking without help.
You may get some pushbacks from your loved ones who say they don’t want or need assistance. While every situation is unique and everyone’s needs are different, if you feel your loved one is not safe without help you should discuss the options and allow the care recipient to determine what he or she is most comfortable doing.
Types of home health workers
People who provide paid care for older, ill or disabled people at home are often referred to generally as home health aides, but there are actually several classes of home health workers with varying duties and with levels of professional training requirements differing by state. They include:
Companion
Provides companionship, meal preparation, light housekeeping.
Does shopping and errands, escorts care recipient for doctor and other appointments.
No certification or license required.
Personal Care Aide (PCA)
Performs tasks of companion plus assistance with more involved personal care such as bathing, grooming and using the toilet.
State requirements for training range from zero to 100 hours. Requirements for additional clinical hours vary. You can find the requirements for a PCA in your state here.
Home Health Aide (HHA)
Checks vital signs (blood pressure, respiration rates, pulse).
Observes recipient’s physical and mental health and reports on conditions to health care professionals such as a registered nurse.
Some states require as little as little as 75 hours of training, 16 hours of supervised practical or clinical training and 12 hours of continuing education each year — others require as much as 180 hours of training and 70 hours of clinical work. You can check the requirements for a HHA in your state here.
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
Can perform certain medical procedures such as basic wound care, emptying catheter bags and measuring urine input and output.
Some states require as little as 75 hours of training and 16 hours of clinical training and others require up to 180 hours of training and 100 hours of clinical training. You can search for the requirements for a CNA in your state here.
Gold offers tips for working with home health aides and keeping a good one on board.
Treat the aides as valued employees. Keep in mind their workload, their need for daily breaks, scheduled time off and the tasks they are trained to do. Work with them to adapt to changes in working conditions and your loved ones’ needs.
Be mindful when assigning duties. Home health aides are usually hired to care for one person or a senior couple — not an entire family. If your elderly father lives with you and needs home care, don’t expect his caretaker to do everyone’s laundry or drive your children to school. Your home aide may be willing to do these things, but if so, you should negotiate additional compensation.
