My Loved One Needs Help - from Afar

You probably live far away from a person you really care about and needs your help – an elderly parent for instance. You may wonder what could be done to offer some help.
In fact, there are several things you can do for them, despite the long distance. We asked numerous healthcare service providers to share some insight and advice on the matter. They proposed several ways of providing help even from afar! Below, we present some of them.
- Make a Plan
First of all, make sure you know everything about the person’s health condition, the challenges or difficulties he or she faces, and the kind of help required. Keep some key information always at hand, including contact information, insurance and account numbers, and other important pieces of information.
Try to locate all local resources and options that could be used from afar. Make notes about your loved one’s condition and all related legal or financial issues.
- Hygiene
Since your loved one lives alone, he or she is probably capable of taking care of the daily chores most of the time. Nevertheless, you must make sure that his or her daily routine is as easy as possible – especially when it comes to hygiene. You could, for example, provide him with products specially designed for the needs of the elderly, or send technicians to modify the house’s amenities (such as the toilet or kitchen) to better serve his or her needs.
- Create a Local Contact Network
Schedule frequent visits to your loved one by neighbours, friends or family members. They will keep you up to date for your loved one’s condition. You can also hire a professional healthcare service provider to provide help and keep him company. It is very important for seniors to know that there is always someone nearby to provide help or assistance in case of an emergency.
- Keep in Touch
Needless to say that it would be great for you to visit your loved one as often as possible. Thus you will have first-hand knowledge about his physical, emotional and financial needs.
When a visit is simply out of the question due to your heavy schedule, use technology the best way possible: smartphones, tablets and the Internet provide numerous ways to keep in touch even from a distance – provided of course your loved one knows how to use this kind of technology. If not, you must lay a hand and teach him the basics.
In addition, make the best of several modifications designed for the elderly from manufacturers, such as voice commands, bigger keys and compatibility with hearing aids.
- Be Prepared for Emergencies
Be prudent and try to foresee future needs, issues or challenges that your loved one may face. Next, make a list of the things you can do to prevent or tackle these issues and keep the list close at hand. It would be wise to save some money for such emergencies to make sure you will be able to travel there the moment a problem arises.
A handy gadget is the emergency bracelet. They are devices integrated into a bracelet and designed to notify you when the person that wears it pushes a small button.
- Get Professional Help
Last but not least, it would be wise to hire a professional healthcare service provider. He or she will be trained to take care of your loved one at all times, to keep his/her space clean and well-organised, to provide help in case of an emergency and make sure he/she takes all proper medication and nutrition.
Just make sure the person you hire is properly licensed, experienced and with a set of personal qualities and characteristics that will inspire trust and confidence to your loved one.
Need help in finding a well-trained and trustworthy healthcare service provider? Contact us and allow us to help!