How to Start a Conversation with Elderly Parents about Care Needs

As parents grow older our concerns steadily build. Can they cope? Are they at risk? Does something need to be done?

Often, though, one of the most difficult problems is actually talking about it! We’re all too aware of the fact our parents are independent people and won’t like the idea of family ‘interfering’.

We know they have pride which can be hurt and perhaps most of all we know they spent years caring for us, making a conversation about reversing that role seem very daunting indeed.

Yet it does no good putting it off or ignoring it. Sorting out help where it’s needed and planning sensibly for the future are important priorities, so there are strategies families can adopt to raise these issues sensitively with elderly parents in ways that are more likely to be productive.
Read the full article here: http://www.nobilis.co.uk/feeds/information-library/how-to-start-a-conversation-with-elderly-parents-about-care-needs.aspx

Care at Home – What are the Options?

When age or illness make living in your own home a challenge it creates worry and stress for the entire family. You don’t want to leave your home or lose your independence but deep down you know something has to be done.
Fortunately there are many options available meaning you don’t need to take the extreme step of moving into a care home. As a society we are all living longer and consequently many services have been set up which provide the support you need to stay in the home you love.

Home Care Services

The first and most important step is to find a trusted home care provider. This will give the essential support you need to remain safe and comfortable in your own home. Home care services are incredibly flexible and can be adapted to your particular circumstances.

When you take on home care services a professional carer comes to your home to deal with day-to-day tasks. This ranges from personal care for you, such as washing and dressing, to household jobs, such as cleaning, cooking meals and shopping. Whether your needs are for just half an hour a week or 24-hour live-in care, there are providers who can help.

Read the full article here: http://www.nobilis.co.uk/feeds/information-library/care-at-home--what-are-the-options.aspx

Am I Entitled to Attendance Allowance?

Age and illness can place all sorts of restrictions on your life. You may find it difficult to get washed and dressed and even walking around can be demanding. Dealing with these limitations can be difficult and before long it becomes clear you need help. Fortunately, in many cases the state is able to assist with the expense of this, meaning at least money doesn’t have to be an additional worry.

Attendance Allowance is intended to help pay for the costs of care and supervision, making it possible for you to cope with the daily tasks of looking after yourself. It is solely for people over 65, so if you are younger you should apply for Disability Living Allowance, which is actually more generous and can continue after the age of 65.

Attendance Allowance is different from many other benefits because it is not means-tested, so your savings and income are completely irrelevant to the decision about eligibility. It’s also tax-free and you can receive it even if you haven’t made National Insurance contributions. This means it’s a benefit which often goes unclaimed by people who could be entitled to it, so...

Read the full article here: http://www.nobilis.co.uk/feeds/information-library/am-i-entitled-to-attendance-allowance.aspx

Getting the Elderly Online – Improving Quality of Life

Let’s be honest, apart from mobility aids we tend to assume the elderly and technology don’t make for a good mix. We think they’re unwilling to embrace new things and come from a generation which struggles with programming the video.

We’d be wrong. Facebook an elderly-free zone? Definitely not – over-65s are the fastest growing age group there. Online dating a younger person’s game? Think again – over 50s are joining Match.com faster than any other age group.

Society is slowly waking up to the fact that the internet is a place which can benefit everyone and that the elderly are using it more than ever.

It’s no wonder, since this is the generation which has most to gain. Many parents bemoan the fact their kids spend too much time online and ought to be outside playing and being active. For the elderly, opportunities for going out can become more restricted, making the benefits to be had from surfing much greater. So it’s time for the young to start bemoaning the fact their elderly parents aren’t spending time online! Indeed, you should do everything you can to make that happen!

Read the full article here: http://www.nobilis.co.uk/feeds/information-library/getting-the-elderly-online--improving-quality-of-life.aspx

Warning Signs in Elderly Parents – Changes to Look For

Everyone changes. You’re not the same person you were ten years ago and we all have moments when we think how great it would be to turn back the clock to days when we were fitter.

However, such change is natural and we accept it. With elderly parents, though, the situation is not quite the same. We know they are going to find life progressively more challenging, but we’re also aware there is a difference between the problems of natural ageing and other, more serious changes. The stumbling block is knowing when to raise concerns that something could be a sign of medical conditions in need of treatment.

This is made all the more difficult by many changes being so gradual you barely notice them, particularly if you see your parents on a regular basis.

Read the full article at http://www.nobilis.co.uk/feeds/information-library/warning-signs-in-elderly-parents--changes-to-look-for.aspx