Chloe was worried.
Her dad, Gerard, had said he would be free to call that evening, but she hadn’t been able to reach him, and it was getting late. Chloe got ahold of her siblings to see if anyone had heard from him, but no one had. All the siblings lived at least 6 hours away from their dad, so no one was close enough to check on him. A few hours later, Chloe got a call from her oldest sister, who was Gerard’s emergency contact. “Dad fell going down his front steps because the bottom one was loose. The neighbors called 911. He’s ok, but he broke his ankle and will have to use crutches or a walker until it heals. I was thinking each sibling could take a shift for a few days to stay with him while he recovers. Do you think you could head down tomorrow?” Over the next few weeks, the siblings shifted their schedules around so that Gerard had someone with him while his ankle healed. When Gerard could finally walk unassisted again, the siblings all breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that the constant travel and schedule rearranging was over.
Chloe started thinking: what if something like this happened again? Gerard was getting older, and soon he might need more than just emergency care. She began talking with her siblings about possible solutions. Could Gerard move in with one of them? Neither Chloe nor her siblings were in a situation to take their father in with them, and when they brought up the subject with Gerard, he was firmly against the idea of moving to a different town. “I’ve worked hard to retire in this house, and I like my community here. I don’t want to start all over again somewhere else,” he stated.
Chloe began researching aging care around Gerard and heard about Infinity Care Solutions from several people. Chloe called us to see if we could help. “My dad’s support system is too far away to help in case of another accident. We were lucky that the neighbors saw him fall this time, but no one is around to check on him regularly. I worry about his health getting worse and none of us knowing until something drastic happens,” Chloe explained. We assured her that we could help Gerard and arranged a meeting with him to start the process.
Though Gerard was a little hesitant about accepting our help at first, he understood his children’s concerns and agreed to work with us to give them peace of mind. We reviewed Gerard’s living situation, physical condition, and social involvement to get a clear picture of his needs. There were a few fall risks around Gerard’s home (besides the front step that one of his sons had already fixed). We planned a time to do a home safety assessment and reviewed the results with Gerard, explaining that removing safety hazards, clearing pathways, and installing grab bars as needed would allow him to stay independent longer. We also offered to coordinate with a housekeeper to come in once a week to help Gerard keep up on housework. The neighbor who had see him fall stopped by and offered their number for the family to call if needed.
Besides finding ways to improve Gerard’s day-to-day life, we also looked at how to help Gerard long-term. Since an emergency had motivated Chloe to find help for her dad, we made an emergency action plan for future accidents or health issues. We could meet Gerard at the ER or hospital if anything happened and coordinate any additional care that would be needed, including short-term home care aides. Finally, we made a long-term care plan that incorporated Gerard’s aging goals and outlined his preferences for the time when he required more day-to-day assistance. We gave Chloe and her siblings regular updates on Gerard’s condition and explained the plans we had put in place.
Working with Infinity Care Solutions reduced the stress that Chloe and her siblings had felt since their father’s fall. Having a local contact available in case of emergency and professionals who would give an objective report on their father’s health helped them relax, knowing that their father had the support he needed to stay safe as he aged.
If your family is faced with a situation like Gerard’s, reach out to Infinity Care Solutions. We will connect you with the best care options for your specific needs, helping you live your best life and giving your family peace of mind about your care.
Find out more about Aging Life Care in our other blogs:
Balancing Act: Managing Caregiving Responsibilities and Marital Roles
Recognizing the Signs: Symptoms and Complications of Diabetes
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