Is there someone who will come to my parents home and assess their care needs?

Lordan asked...

Mom and Dad live together in a small home, Dad is 82 and does pretty well, still works a part time job that makes him feel productive. Mom has mobility issues, she uses a power w/c and does pretty well with it. Her main issue is transfers. She has fallen numerous times while transferring in the bathroom and into and out of bed. Dad does well for himself but is unable to get Mom up when she falls. I do not know their income, I do know it is not much. Is there some one we can get to come into their home and assess their needs and present them with options within their means? They are both cognitive enough to make their own decisions if they had any idea of their options.

Expert Answer

Kay Paggi, GCM, LPC, CGC, MA, is in private practice as a geriatric care manager and is on the advisory board for the Emeritus Program at Richland College. She has worked with seniors for nearly 20 years as a licensed professional counselor, certified gerontological counselor, and certified geriatric care manager.

Coming to an older person's home and doing an assessment of potential problems there makes the most sense - and the likelihood of having such an in-home assessment funded by the state varies across the nation. You might try contacting their primary care physician, and asking if he will write an order for physical therapy evaluation by a medical home care agency. This should be covered by Medicare. Hopefully, your mother will qualify for several therapy visits aimed at strengthening the muscles needed for a safe transfer.

Part of the information you need in order to be an effective caregiver is their financial assets. You can explain to them that you are willing to spend you time identifying sources of assistance for them but you need to know what programs they will qualify for financially. If your father was in the military during wartime, there are VA sources. There are Medicaid resources, too. Both have financial limits.

They are fortunate to have a caring daughter who obviously wants to help.