In Home Elder Care

   As many of my readers know my mom passed away last year of Alzheimer's disease. She began declining in a few years before she passed but wasn't officially diagnosed until early 2009. My siblings and I all pitched in and helped to care for her. Plus we had other family members and a few very close family friends help us as well.

   When mom got to the point of needing constant care we had so many things to think about. Our first thought was the obvious option - find a nursing home that could tend to her needs. But another option that we also considered quite seriously was in home elder care.

   We contacted a few local companies and got as much information from them as we could. These companies could provide reliable and compassionate care for my mom in her very own home for as long as we needed...from one hour to 24 hours a day. They'd provide assistance in providing her meals, companionship, housekeeping, reminders to take her medication (a huge issue for someone with Alzheimer's), help with transportation to doctor's appointments and much more. What a blessing!

   We careully weighed all the pros and cons and talked for many hours about what to do. The biggest reason we greatly appreciated the option of in home elder care was because Mom would be able to stay in her own home--the place she had been living for almost 50 years. For someone with memory problems the thought that we could keep her where everything was familiar was such a bonus.

   The decision was huge and we took it very seriously and contemplated every detail we could think of. If you find yourself in this position my advice is to research, research and research some more. Ask questions and leave no stone unturned. It's your loved one's well being at stake. And, of course, when all else fails...pray for guidance!

More on the way soon...until then,