Senior Life Planning

A service provided by VNA Personal Services

Our comprehensive Senior Life Planning Program bridges the needs of seniors with valuable support services to maximize their quality of life. As an advocate for seniors, we ensure their wishes are followed while working to maintain their optimal level of function and safety. We do this through a team approach that includes, among others, a registered nurse and a licensed social worker.

As more seniors age in their homes, families are faced with many questions and fears. If geography, work and family obligations, or resources, make it difficult to care for a loved one, Senior Life Planning from the VNA can help.

Senior Life Planning might be right for you if these situations apply to you:

You are concerned about a seniors safety;

You are assisting a senior but losing time with your own family or at work;

The senior has multiple medical appointments frequent emergency room visits or hospitalizations, and /or difficulty managing medical information;

Managing medications has become a concern;

The Senior has multiple needs and you don't know where to start to find help;

If you are assisting in arranging for a senior's long term needs or if you are considering assisted living or nursing home placement.

Senior Life Care Managers are specially trained to assist older adults and persons with disabilities in maintaining their maximum functional potential.

A Senior Life Care Manager will provide:

In-home comprehensive assessments and cost containment with an emphasis on preventing hospitalizations;

Prioritizing needs and identify community resources;

Assist seniors to remain in the least restrictive comfortable living environment, whether at home, assisted living, or in a nursing facility;

Facilitate communication between senior, their family and other care providers;

24 hour on-call service 365 days per year.

Services are personalized based on the client's needs and current or available resources.

The VNA Can Help Your Parents Stay At Home...So You Don't Have To

I was recently talking to a family caregiver who told me that she was so committed to taking care of her elderly mother she didn't realize she had dropped out of her own life.

She explained that every year, she traditionally spent time with the same friends on the Fourth of July watching fireworks from their boat on one of the Great Lakes. But in the last two years, she had canceled to take care of her mom. When she called this year, everyone was disappointed because they had already invited someone else and couldn't fit any more people. Her mother was angry with her.

Sometimes, caregivers can get so involved with taking care of a mom or dad or other loved ones, they sometimes forget their own needs, dismissing them as frivolous or thinking "I can have fun later."

It is so important to stay involved with your own life.

Losing touch with your friends weakens your support systems.

Denying yourself a break leads to burn-out.

Constantly arriving late at work or taking too much time off can jeopardize employment.

Often caregivers are caring for a senior, a parent, a grandparent while caring for their own families. This lack of balance hurts you as the caregiver and does not allow time for your spouse, family, and friends. It does not set a good example for your own children.

All caregiving roles eventually end. It is enough to grieve and re-adjust to life without that other person, but finding yourself without your own routine or your own supports makes it even more difficult. Building HELP into the caregiving role, not only gives you the strength to go the long distance, but also helps you to have the balance for yourself. Letting yourself off the hook allows you to do fun activities, relax, and enjoy breaks -- all necessary to maintain your wellbeing.

This is another great article about caregiving that might help you. Visit AARP for more information.