A recent article in The Lewiston Tribune (http://lmtribune.com) by John Drescher, cited his elderly parent healthcare systems experiences.
Role reversal in elderly parent caregiving is one of the first adjustments of this journey. Consequently, although you are still the child, you are no longer the dependant.
As a result, YOU now make decisions for your parents. While your parents may want control of their life, they are no longer able to do so.
And many of the decisions now center on elderly health care. Furthermore,there is no manual on where, what and how to access services. You learn the ropes through a “boots on the ground” experience.
Elderly parent healthcare systems revealed
Drescher shared his top three discoveries:
- No single person in the health care system was in charge of managing and coordinating the treatments of his elderly parents.
- The complexity of the health care system and insurance was overwhelming.
- Although the system was flawed and frustrating, the individuals providers were excellent.
What to make of the discoveries
Drescher’s experience is not unique. Eventually,most caregivers find his discoveries similar or parallel to their own. You begin with YOUR logic of how the systems work.
Unfortunately, logic and systems delivery rarely match.
Elderly parent healthcare frustrations
Many elderly parent caregivers are frustrated by what the systems LACK. AND…by how a difficult task is complicated by the systems that support it.
For example, elderly parent caregivers often must respond to an emergency health crisis. If it is an “after hours” crisis( and they OFTEN are!), response may be a trip to the ER.
Additionally, some ER services may NOT have coordinated information from the primary doctor.
As a result, YOU need to have all required healthcare information.
Be prepared! YOU are the manager
Remember,many healthcare systems don’t coordinate critical information.Therefore, YOU do! AS an elderly parent caregiver, the answers come from you.
And the answers often came from unfamiliar questions. Such as: social security information??, insurance coverage,?? medications,?? health history,?? blood pressure,?? existing conditions????……… AND……..on and on.
There are systems that YOU can put in place. BEFORE a crisis. BEFORE overwhelm.
It does take a village to care for elderly parent. BUT….the village needs a chief. AND, for most elderly parent caregivers, it’s US.
I know this situation. I’ve lived and learned the circumstances. Management is simple. It’s just not easy.
I can share what I’ve learned. AND.. I can share what works.
Call or email for a complimentary discovery session. We can explore your situation. Let’s see if we are a good fit for you and your questions.
Julie@gracefulgrit.com
208-755-2824
