As tempting as it may be to err on the side of caution and over-manage your aging parent’s other loved one’s daily life, a few subtle changes can make a huge difference in their safety as well as your peace of mind as they become a little less sure of their daily rituals. Here are four easy strategies that can be introduced right away.
1. Organize medicines.
There is no shortage of pill dispensers available in both drugstores and online that will ensure that your loved one takes the right medicines at the right times of the day. Pill organizers that are designed for an entire month’s dosages or just a week can be filled in just a few minutes, allowing bottles to be stored out of sight until the next time the dispenser is stocked. Many medicine organizers have both “A.M.” and “P.M.” stamped on each day’s compartment and are also color coded to help prevent mistakes.
2. Meal prep.
In just an hour or a little more, healthy snacks and meals can be prepped, allowing an aging senior to do very little cooking, measuring or fussing with kitchen appliances. Most people do not realize that freshly cooked food, including meat, starches like rice or potatoes, vegetables, and even sauces can be stored for up to a week and still be delicious. Fresh vegetables like carrots and cucumbers can be cut and stored in a small glass container of water in the refrigerator and will stay fresh for up to two weeks! Chicken breasts can be seasoned, baked or roasted ahead for the week, and either left whole or made into chicken salad or sliced for sandwiches. Cheese can be cubed and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or even combined in a sectioned storage container so that three or four items (cheese, nuts, sliced apples, etc.) are in one dish and easy to grab. When it comes to meal prepping, the only limitation is your imagination!
3. Budgets.
If your loved one cannot seem to get out of the worry cycle when it comes to their finances, introduce them to an at-a-glance budget that can be accessed during those times when their fears get the best of them. Keep the math simple, show the high-level monthly budget, expenses, income and savings account balances, and illustrate to them how their money will stretch into the next few months or years. Keep the document secure in a private place if necessary, and when they need to be reminded, sit down and show them how the numbers add up. If there are budget concerns, consider an appointment with a financial professional who specializes in retirement plans.
4. Financial planning.
Like many seniors, if your loved one’s budget is a concern, explore long-term care options with them sooner, rather than later, when critical health decisions may also need to be decided. Pick a day when you can present brochures from assisted living or other residential facilities, discuss in-home care options, and most importantly, make sure your loved one understands exactly what his or her long-term care plan will cover and for how long. Doing this well in advance of emergency situations can go a long, long way in bringing peace of mind to a senior who is feeling nervous about the next stage of life.
These simple practices are going to help your aging parent or loved one feel more in control, and with that feeling comes a sense of independence. Instead of all the details of meal planning, medication, and/or money being sorted out every day, those critical items are situated for at least a week if not more simply by picking an afternoon as you have time to prep and organize.
If you have questions about long-term care coverage or how NPFBA can help serve you, feel free to reach out to us via our website, phone, email or schedule a zoom meeting and let’s grab some face time!
