The Challenges of Senior Care

Article submitted by Tonya Zuckerman, co-founder of Senior Pathways.
For more information, they can be reached at 615-258-2027, or visit their website: www.senior-pathways.com.

Senior Pathways is a no-cost care management and referral service matching families to long-term care providers in Middle Tennessee. Their skilled care counselors provide immediate in-home or in-hospital consultations to families.

You can randomly strike up a conversation with three people and one of them will tell you that they have been through the challenges of finding long-term care for a loved one within the last year. The greatest challenge we face as an aging population is the need to find care for our parents and ourselves that matches our healthcare, budget, location, and amenity needs. Very few of us have any experience at all going through this process. We often venture down this uncharted path with no idea of the outcome and no idea where to turn.

Feeling like we do not have control of our environment can be very uncomfortable. It only takes an unexpected hospitalization, followed by a 24-hour discharge notice and a limitless directory of providers, to drive anxiety levels through the roof. To avoid making an unwise decision, under duress, it is important to methodically define the problem and identify future potential problems. The goal should be to solve these problems in a priority sequence. Some tangible considerations are one's healthcare, long-term and short-term budget, location, service availability, and amenity needs. Some other, less tangible variables are personality traits and social routines.

The process of finding service and care is extremely challenging. In order to help define this process and develop a game plan, seniors and their families can rely on the professional support of a Care Manager (or Case Manager in a hospital or nursing home). These skilled individuals will help define the requirements and provide solutions. Also find comfort in knowing that most all of the long term care providers in Middle Tennessee are filled with many caring and exceptional people who will provide the very best service available to you and your loved one. Finally, know that the path you follow is not permanent. A decision you make today can be changed in the future. Be strong in your search.