Caring for your elderly parents can be challenging. This challenge may be more complicated if your parent has dementia, figuring out how to improve their quality of life and ensuring they have exceptional care is critical.
Sadly, it is not uncommon for family members to disagree about how they will care for a relative who has been diagnosed with dementia. Here are steps you can take to work with your family to get your loved one the support they need as your family copes with the dementia diagnosis.
Your Plan Of Action is Critical
Having a plan of action in the event of an emergency situation with your family member suffering from dementia is critical. Figuring out how your family members are going to be taken care of will be the other most important factor.
You have options available to provide care for family members in need. Those options include:
Home Care
Assisted-living Facilities
Skilled Nursing Homes
Continuing Care Communities
What to Do When Family Disagrees
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for family members to disagree about how a loved one suffering from dementia should be taken care of. If your family is going through something similar, there are a couple of different ways to make important decisions.
First, you may want to consider discussing your concerns with the rest of your family. It is important to figure out which care decisions need to be made, what each family member’s strengths and weaknesses are, and how responsibilities could be divided up. However, if your family is still unable to work out a plan of care, you may need to explore alternative options.
Hire a Care Manager
Mannor Law Group has Care Navigators that can help with this process. Hiring a Care Navigator from Mannor Law Group may be a good fit if you and your family cannot agree on how to care for your family member who is suffering from dementia. They can help you make decisions, access resources you are going to need and work to coordinate appropriate care plans so your family member is well taken care of.
Counseling
If your family cannot agree to hire a care manager, it may be in your best interest to enter family counseling. Here, a therapist can help all family members with their concerns, work through issues they may be having, and learn to cope with the challenges that will come with caring for an elderly parent or family member suffering from dementia.
This may be your best opportunity to gain insight into how your other family members are feeling and to communicate more effectively.
Mediation
An eldercare mediator may be a good fit if family counseling, hiring a care manager, and simply attempting to work together as a family has been unsuccessful. Mediators are similar to therapists, except a mediator is going to help you figure out solutions that will work for all involved parties. Mediators are going to have a different perspective, as they often handle a wide variety of cases.
Work With a Law Firm That Specializes in These Plans of Care
When your loved one has been diagnosed with dementia, having a plan of action in place is essential. By drawing up your will, powers of attorney, advanced directives, living trusts, and other necessary legal documents, you can protect yourself and your loved ones as your family navigates life with dementia.
When you need help with your plans and do not know where to turn, contact Mannor Law Group. Our firm specializes in getting these plans in place for Michigan families. Schedule your confidential consultation today by completing our secured contact form or by calling our office at (810) 645-8426.
