The phone calls are starting to get strange.

Dad quit his bridge club because they’re stealing from him.

Mom talks constantly about an old beau. 

The police called because she doesn’t recognize her husband. 

How you are going to handle things and do you know what’s involved in caregiving?

A new Gallup Poll reported that 41% of baby boomers have a parent needing financial and personal care, while 8% of these boomers have moved a parent in with them. 

Another 37% say they expect to do so in the future and more than half report that they’re concerned about being able to provide care while working a full time job. 

A new AARP study estimates 34 million American are unpaid caregivers giving an average of 21 hours per week to help an aging relative. 

Some are regularly calling, flying to see their Mom every few weeks or just taking their parent to a doctor appointment 

The economic impact of ”free care” is estimated to be about $350 billion.

Surprisingly, that’s more than what the government spent on Medicare last year and exceeds the Federal budget deficit in 2006.

Doesnt this make a strong case for Congressional action? So, why hasn’t anything happened!  

Main Line Elder Care Associates, Inc., understand the difficulties and complexities of managing health care.

We deal with the struggles of finding the right facility, review the legal and financial complications and mediate any of the strains this process will have on your family. 

Our care managers also know that If there are any conflicts in the family that this process by itself and without the aide of a geriatric care manager will definitely become more stressful because caregiving is very exhausting. We also understand how frightening and confusing this process is to an aging parent.

Remember, the person on the front line - well they need your support  because no one can handle this situation alone - it’s unfair to let them struggle alone because caregiving threatens emotional health and unlocks all kinds of fears. Dementia or Alzheimer’s?

Hiring a professional care giver is your best resource for providing some of the care.

Today, our families pay financially and pay emotionally without any help from Capitol Hill.

Write us your comments and contact these websites also www.caregiver.org, www.eldercare.gov, www.TheFamilyCaregiver.org, www.Medicare.gov, www.AARP.org/Families 

Contact www.mainlineeldercare.com  and www.info@mainlineeldercare.com  for more information about hiring a home health care worker, information on caregiving, legal issues and housing safety, etc.

Main Line Elder Care Associates, Inc., and the National Association of Geriatric Care Managers, Inc., which is a clearing house to help you find a geriatric care manager who can help monitor your parent’s care. www.caremanager.org

Helen C. Hopkinson, J.D., President and CEO, Main Line Elder Care Associates, Inc., writes articles regarding elder issues which appear in her blog and newsletters. She has appeared as an expert on TV and radio to discuss the problems facing employee caregivers, healthcare management needs, care plans and many other subjects involving the elderly or disabled. She is a graduate of John Marshall Law School, a certified Arbitrator and Mediator. She co-founded MLECA with Brenda M. Hanna, BS, RNFA and they are dedicated to serving clients in the Greater Philadelphia area and surrounding counties.

MLECA is the recipient of the CitiCorp’s Boost Award for 2007.

Member, National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers, Inc. 

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WATCH ABC TV THIS ENTIRE WEEK ON ELDER ISSUES 

Here are a few of the issues discussed on Morning America today - Monday, June 25, 2007 

• Invest in Dependent care or flexible spending accounts because this type of coverage will help you to provide care for your  parent; i.e. an aide during the day when you are at work.
• Consider a reverse mortgage to help your parent remain in their home.
• Downsize if they have no equity in their home to qualify for a reverse mortgage.
• Never dip into your own retirement funds to help an aging parent.
• Declare your parent as an independent but first check with an accountant to make sure your are providing the care necessary to meet the requirements of the Internal Revenue Service.
• Tell your aging parent to not give out personal information on the telephone or to strangers.
• Do not be aggressive with your parent’s finances.
• Go to WWW.ABCNEWS.COM 

 Contact www.info@mainlineeldercare.com for more information.

MAIN LINE ELDER CARE ASSOCIATES, INC., encourages you to watch ABC NEWS this week to learn more about role reversals that today’s  boomers are now facing. 

Main Line Elder Care Associates is part of a growing professional organization that is finally being recognized for their pioneering attitude toward family caregiving.

As the population ages and more Americans live at a distance our services will be increasing and coordinating our clients’ care will become even more complex as chronic medical conditions grow at the same time emotional support will be necessary to help support the family caregiver, wherever they may live.

MLECA welcomes this challenge and qualified to meet the needs of your aging parents. Please visit our website to learn more about our company and we look forward to your personal comments about caregiving.  

www.info@mainlineeldercare.com

Wayne, Pennsylvania

610-688-2667

WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME TO BRING IN OUTSIDE HELP . . .

Main Line Elder Care Associates suggests you follow these easy steps to establish whether outside assistance is needed:

Evaluate the Health status, Marital status and children, living arrangements and Household status, economic dependence. income and poverty.

Recognize that there are two systems for care giving .

Informal - family, friends and neighbors

Today these caregivers provide for at least 80% of the care needs for those needing help while only 5% of the elderly actually reside in nursing homes.

Formal - means just about everything.

In general, the formal system supports the informal system. Or, in other words, these are services that may be provided on an intermittent basis. 

Our care managers suggest that you utilize an aide or companion along with a Geriatric Care Management Team to establish a solid relationship that will be there during all phases of transitions for the disabled and elderly.

Usually, this system allows the elderly to age in the comfort of their own homes and a much better win-win situation approach to health care management on the whole.

Common Pattern: the informal network is employed first and usually this is a spouse who provides the care, the children (typically the eldest daughter) may become involved as more of their needs increase but mostly this involvement generally increases upon the death of one spouse. Sometimes, this increase may be a slow process, possibly takes several years but a sudden health crises will definitely increase that involvement.

Good News - Life expectancy has dramatically increased.

People are living longer and “better”  - the majority of people 65 - 75 are healthier and financially more secure to enjoy life. They own homes and are capable of meeting needs, according to Elizabeth K. Keech, PhD, RN, College of Nursing, Villanova University 

Main Line Elder Care Associates recognizes that with increasing age also comes the accumulation of more illnesses, medications and increasing frailty as well as life changes.

Our care managers suggest that you ask a parent over the age of 80,

“Whom should you tell about your wishes?”

Fore more information contact www.info@mainlineeldercare.com

or call 610-688-2667

to arrange for an assessment.