7 Steps For Speaking With Your Family About Home Care
This Holiday Season - or, Any Time

1. Don’t wait until an emergency or crisis situation occurs before discussing home care. Many times home care is needed after an illness or accident. Or, it becomes obvious over time as aging parents struggle. It is much easier to discuss home care well before the need occurs.

2. It is important that the discussion includes the aging adult who needs care. Involving them in the discussion reassures their sense of control of their own lives, and allows them to express their needs and concerns. Assure the person who needs home care that you want to help her or him to maintain their independence – not take it away from them.

3. Compare options for care – nursing homes and assisted living are viable and sometimes necessary options. But, most people prefer to stay in the comfort of their own homes.

4. Discuss finances. Is your parent eligible for Medicare or Medicaid or a Medicaid special waiver program? Has insurance? Or, is able financially to manage the cost themselves?

5. Consider involving a professional case worker or social worker, family physician, religious counsel, or a close friend in the discussion. An outside perspective can help make the transition to home care easier for a resistant aging individual.

6. Consider an incremental approach if the person expresses concerns about a stranger entering their home. An initial “try out” could include bath services or meal preparation.

7. Give your aging family member time to consider their options – that is where planning ahead makes a difference.

Download this fact sheet here. For more details about New Jersey home care and accredited home care providers, visit www.cahcnj.org.