If one is 85 and the other has Alzheimer's, I would assume driving help is useful if they have to go to medical appointments (unless they have a transportation service).

Anonymous wrote:Other things I can think of

- Haircut, shave, cutting nails (feet and hands), pedicure, manicure

- Lawn-care and landscaping, handyman for exterior repairs, maintainence of home and appliances (ducts, change filters etc.

Thank you!

Other things I can think of

- Haircut, shave, cutting nails (feet and hands), pedicure, manicure

- Lawn-care and landscaping, handyman for exterior repairs, maintainence of home and appliances (ducts, change filters etc.

My mother was just released from rehab after a fall. We have a home aide in every day this week since we didn’t know what to expect when making the arrangements, and will move to three days a week next week. The aide helps with light housekeeping, dishes, laundry, bathing, dressing, meal prep, and general companionship. She cannot handle medications directly, but can give reminders to take them, open the bottles, and supervise to make sure mom puts the correct pills into the correct sections of the pill box. She’ll also help put away grocery deliveries if they arrive while she is here. Our understanding is that she can drive to appointments as lone as the timing works out, but we haven’t asked (and one of the ladies who came this week uses Uber, so that wouldn’t have been possible with her).

A home care companion can do just about any kind of caretaking, including:
Meal prep
Housekeeping
Bathing
Laundry
Dressing
Errands
Driving to appointments
Medication management (pill sorters, reminders to take)

We hired one former nanny and one aide who had worked in nursing homes. They did fun things on some days (pedicures!) and routine things on other days (bathing and cleanup after a bathroom accident). A good aide can really be a huge help.

My father was in the same situation except he was 78, had to care for mother full time. We weren’t able to persuade them to hire help but now my father needs help and that’s what I do for him:
-grocery shopping
- taking out trash
-floor mopping
-changing sheets
- cleaning up and some meal prep
- conversing
-taking him to dr appts
-help with eye drops

Honestly the hardest part is making conversation but it’s also the least outsourceable at least in my case

Anonymous wrote:My mom fell and needed assistance, but then kept it after she healed because she was starting to show symptoms of cognitive decline. Her helper ended up coming 5 days a week and did the following: light housekeeping (not cleaning, but dishes, tidying, etc), light meal prep, help with bathing (my mom was scared of falling), drove my mom to appointments (hair, doctor, shopping, cleaners, etc) and was a general companion and problem solver. My mom was living alone and she really liked having someone around to help and to chat with, she took took my mom on walks and facilitated social visits. It worked well until my mom needed more fulltime care and oversight.

Thanks so much, this is so helpful. My mother wants my father to do everything & he’s 85 and exhausted.

My mom fell and needed assistance, but then kept it after she healed because she was starting to show symptoms of cognitive decline. Her helper ended up coming 5 days a week and did the following: light housekeeping (not cleaning, but dishes, tidying, etc), light meal prep, help with bathing (my mom was scared of falling), drove my mom to appointments (hair, doctor, shopping, cleaners, etc) and was a general companion and problem solver. My mom was living alone and she really liked having someone around to help and to chat with, she took took my mom on walks and facilitated social visits. It worked well until my mom needed more fulltime care and oversight.

I'm trying to convince my elderly parents (one of whom has Alzheimers) that bringing in a Home Care person a couple days a week would be helpful to them. They are resisting and saying they have everything in hand. I'm curious how Home Care has been helpful to your parents? This person would not be providing any medical care. I'm imagining the following:

Laundry
Dishes
Errands
Meal prep
Companionship
Breaks for my father who is the primary caretaker for my mother. She is the most resistant to Home Care

They already have weekly cleaning ladies who change bed sheets. My mother is lonely as her friends have drifted away as her condition has worsened so I imagine this person could do word games with her. Would love any ideas.