<html> <head> <title>Caring for a Parent</title> <meta name="description" content="A comprehensive care coordinator for older adults needing supportive services to remain in their home communities."> <meta http-equiv="keywords" content="geriatrics, care manager, geriatric care manager, senior services, geriatric services, elders, seniors, gerontology, Medicare, Medicaid, home health care, nursing homes, senior housing, care givers, National Association of Geriatric Care Managers"> <meta name="Microsoft Border" content="b"> </head> <body background="images/back2.gif" topmargin="0" leftmargin="0"><!--msnavigation--><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tr><!--msnavigation--><td valign="top"> <div align="center"><center> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="65%"> <tr> <td width="100%" nowrap><p align="center"><img border="0" src="images/logonew.gif" width="163" height="80"></p> <p align="center"><strong><font face="Arial" color="#000080" size="5"><!--webbot bot="Navigation" S-Type="banner" S-Rendering="text" S-Orientation B-Include-Home B-Include-Up U-Page S-Target startspan -->Caring for a Parent<!--webbot bot="Navigation" endspan i-checksum="47617" --></font></strong></p> <p></td> </tr> </table> </center></div><div align="center"> <table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" width="95%"> <tr> <td width="100%"><p ALIGN="right"><font face="Arial" size="2"><a href="helpful.htm">Return to Helpful Information</a></font> </p> <p ALIGN="left"><strong>&quot;Don&#146;t trust anyone over 30!&quot; It&#146;s funny how life changes. As of now, there is not a single member of the Baby Boom Generation UNDER 35 years old and since 1994 more families are providing care for their parents than are caring for children under age 18. Aging is now on everyone&#146;s minds, and the media topic of choice from everyone from The New York Times to National Geographic Magazine. Boomers are overheard questioning whether their children will/can take care of them. It is not a new topic, but an echo from the past.</strong></p> <center> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><strong><em><big><font color="#980068">My parent is showing signs of &quot;slipping&quot;</font></big></em></strong></p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><strong>The typical parent often really doesn&#146;t want help, no matter how poorly their ability to function. The hard thing for families to accept is that, yes, our parents have the right to make decisions, even if they&#146;re ones we would disagree with. Our parents have the right to live the lifestyle they choose as long as their decisions do not cause them or others immediate physical danger. Even if their lifestyle does drive us crazy. If you live a long distance away from your parent, it might be useful to have an extra set of eyes and ears looking out for them. Sometimes it helps to remember that as we age, we become more like ourselves in that our habits become more ingrained.</strong></p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><strong><big><em><font color="#980068">How do we do it and what do we look for?</font></em></big></strong></p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><strong>We look at the older adult&#146;s ability to function in a variety of areas that are considered critical to successful living independently. We also look at ability to cope with new situations, emotional, mental and cognitive status as well as the individual&#146;s overall medical condition. Looking at past lifestyle is important. A factory worker or unskilled laborer with limited verbal abilities may show signs of cognitive deterioration that are quite different from a retail store manager, engineer, or skilled tradesman. Men often show cognitive deficits in different areas than women. Past or current alcohol use, industrial chemical exposure, nutritional status and disease also have impact.</strong></p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><strong>We also recommend a thorough medical examination by a physician trained in the medical problems of the older adult. If Alzheimer&#146;s Disease is suspected, a CAT scan or MRI is recommended, along with a referral to a neurologist (an MD who specializes in brain and nervous system disorders) with knowledge and experience in diagnosing all types of Dementia. If you aren&#146;t satisfied with the answers you are getting from the medical people you&#146;re working with, or they refuse to give you information if you are a close family member (spouse, son, or daughter), consider getting a second opinion from a different doctor. Most doctors have no problem with this. Be sure to get copies of the medical records and take them to the professionals rendering the second opinion. This saves both time and money. Sometimes the doctors want to look at the patient&#146;s original x-rays. You can get these at the hospital where they were done. It&#146;s not much different than checking out a library book &#150; you bring them back when the exam is finished.</strong></p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><font color="#000080"><strong><big>How we work</big></strong></font></p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><strong><em><font color="#980068">The Caring Connection, P.C.</font></em> has specialists available to visit your parent and perform an in home assessment if they happen to live in the Chicago/Rockford areas. Call or e-mail us for an appointment. Our evaluations typically take about 2 hours and afterward we will sit down with you and put together a practical care plan that works for both you and your parent.</strong></p> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><strong>To help you gauge how your parent&#146;s abilities compare with those of other older adults, the <a href="elder1.htm">ElderCaring Review<font FACE="Symbol">ã</font></a> is designed to help you assess the most important areas of independent living. </strong> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY"> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><font face="Arial" size="2"><b><a href="helpful.htm">Return to Helpful Information</a></b></font> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><p ALIGN="center"><font face="Arial" size="2"><b>This page information may be used on other web sites only with permission from our site.<br> <a href="mailto:info@caringconnection.com">Click here to make a request</a>.</b></font></td> </tr> </table> </center></div> <p>&nbsp;</p> <!--msnavigation--></td></tr><!--msnavigation--></table><!--msnavigation--><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tr><td> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top"></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td> <table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" width="29%"> <td align="center" width="43%"> </td> <td align="center" width="28%"> <p align="center"><a href="http://www.myaffiliateprogram.com/u/mygoals/b.asp?id=1202&amp;p=index.html"></a></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="5" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td width="50%"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div align="center"> <center> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="95%"> <tbody> <tr> <td width="100%"> <p align="center"><strong><font color="#800000" face="Arial" size="2"><br> </font><font color="#980068"><font face="Arial" size="2">| </font><a href="http://www.caringconnection.com/index.htm"><font color="#980068" face="Arial" size="2">Home</font></a> <font color="#800000" face="Arial" size="2">| </font><a href="http://www.caringconnection.com/whoweare.htm"><font color="#980068" face="Arial" size="2">Our Values</font></a> <font color="#800000" face="Arial" size="2">| </font><a href="http://www.caringconnection.com/services.htm"><font color="#980068" face="Arial" size="2">Services</font></a> <font color="#800000" face="Arial" size="2">|</font></font><font color="#800000" face="Arial" size="2">&nbsp;</font><font color="#980068"><font color="#800000" face="Arial" size="2"> </font><a href="http://www.caringconnection.com/faq.htm"><font color="#980068" face="Arial" size="2">FAQ</font></a> <font color="#800000" face="Arial" size="2">| </font><a href="http://www.caringconnection.com/helpful.htm"><font color="#980068" face="Arial" size="2">Helpful Information</font></a> <font color="#800000" face="Arial" size="2">| </font><a href="http://www.caringconnection.com/referenc.htm"><font color="#980068" face="Arial" size="2">References</font></a> <font color="#800000" face="Arial" size="2">| </font><a href="http://www.caringconnection.com/links.htm"><font color="#980068" face="Arial" size="2">Links</font></a> <font color="#800000" face="Arial" size="2">|</font></font></strong></p> <p align="center"><img src="images/line2.gif" border="0" width="515" height="8"></p> <p align="center"><img src="images/logonew.gif" border="0" width="200" height="99"></p> <p align="center"><font color="#000080"><strong>2445 Dean Street, Unit 1B<br> St. Charles, Illinois 60174</strong></font></p> <p align="center"><a href="mailto:write2us@caringconnection.com"><img alt="E-Mail Us!" src="images/basset_email.gif" border="0" width="169" height="63"></a></p> <p align="center"><font color="#000080"><strong>Phone: (630) 377-8655<br> Fax:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (630) 377-8656</strong></font></p> <p align="center"><img src="images/line2.gif" width="515" height="8"></p> <p align="center"><font face="Arial"><small>Copyright © 2004-2007 Caring Connection, P.C.&nbsp; All rights reserved.<br> <br> <small><small>This web site was developed by</small></small></small></font><br> &nbsp; <a href="http://www.smartbiz.net" target="_blank"><img alt="Let us introduce you to over 20 million new customers!" src="images/ewdlogosmall.gif" border="0" width="139" height="81"></a></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </center> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td></tr><!--msnavigation--></table></body> </html>