I never thought of myself as the meat in a sandwich, but as a member of the “sandwich generation” that’s what I am. I am in the middle and one side are my wife and teen daughters and on the other side is my 80 year old mom who has Alzheimer’s. This is such a common scenario for many families. Adult children of seniors are often asked to perform caregiving duties for their parents without any training. Family members are often really good about taking their parents to the doctor, shopping and running errands, or just simply spending time for companionship, but as our parent’s health fails and their needs become greater it can be a huge strain on the family.
Many seniors from this generation are very cost-sensitive and will often refuse to pay for professional caregiving services. They often see them as unnecessary. The difficult part about this is that the adult child is caught juggling their own family life, children, relationship, work-life, with little or no time for themselves to renew and refresh.
My Senior Navigator
This is where My Senior Navigator comes in. We work with families to find the best options for the senior family members that offer great quality of life for everyone. Below is a description of some of those options.
Assisted living is the option of moving into a community or a home that provides care which typically includes all expenses wrapped up in the monthly rent. There are communities that are much like a cruise ship packed full of entertainment and social options. Other assisted living communities are family homes that have been converted and licensed by the state. Assisted living serves those who do not have dementia/Alzheimer’s.
The second type of option is Memory Care or Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE) commonly called board & care homes. Many of these homes cater to people with cognitive issues that typically come from dementia and Alzheimer’s. There are over 75 of these types of homes here in San Luis Obispo and we are experts in working with families to help determine which one would be the best fit.
Independent communities are an option for those who do not want to receive care but they like the social side of living in a senior community. Meals and events are typically a big draw to this group, but they may cost a bit more for basic care around the apartment.
Of course, there will always be those seniors who just refuse to leave their homes and have the means to afford in-home caregiving services. Unlike receiving care from a family member, choosing a professional caregiver will provide a much higher level of experience and hands-on care. Many caregivers are trained to perform basic CNA activities found in an assisted living in the facility. Things like proper hygiene, dressing, and grooming, transfers, help with ambulation, and incontinence care are all skills that they excel in.
My Senior Navigator has the knowledge and experience to will walk you through these options with the goal of finding the best fit for the whole family.
