What type of health professional or consultant can I hire to give advice on caring for ailing, elderly father?

Usually a private nurse who is working freelance would be the best person to hire. Someone who works in the geriatric care unit at a local hospital who has some extra time to serve you and your father's need. You should make sure they have expertise in geriatrics.

Please see the article below on "Why re a Geriatric Care Manager? " newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/06/w....

I have recently been looking into assisted living facilities for my aunt. She is able to do most things on her own but I know that she could use some help as she has been forgetting important things like when to take certain medications and when she needs refills. That is what really made me start searching for alternatives.

I know my aunt likes her independence, but I also know she gets really lonely. I've been trying to find resources for her to look at. I have been talking a lot to Sunrise Senior Living.

You should check them out. They do a good job of separating the different offerings so my aunt can better understand what type of care she will get. I think in the end, it will be the best solution for her.

If there's a 211 or information and referral service in your area, you could contact them and they may be able to refer you to such a facility. You could also contact a local hospital, they also most likely have a relationship with such as well.

If you're a plane ride away from your father and not able to make the trip easily, one of the private agencies that helps with making and maintaining a care plan could be very useful. In fact, there are companies that offer care planning as a benefit. The drawback is, there aren't a lot of agencies doing this and, if one isn't located quite near your father, the odds are they won't be all that knowledgeable about local resources.

If you are nearby and are willing to devote some time, ic would be worthwhile for you to look into established local resources to help you plan. There are several public agencies that serve people who need care and their families. They have local county offices, so the folks there know what's available.

Plus, programs change often. The people who work in them have the most up to date knowledge. When I say agencies, I'm making the assumption that you and your father live in the US.

If not, please look for analogous agencies where you are. Agencies that could help you are the Department of Social Services (DSS) or Human Services (DHS), the Office for the Aging (OFA) and the county's nursing service. Services from these agencies are usually low cost or free of charge.

Folks at these agencies can tell you what types of services are available to your father and the requirements for receiving them. They'll also know about fees and payment arrangements. They'll probably even know where the vacancies are.

Your locality may have a Single Point of Entry (SPE) agency, a place that directs people to the services they need. Your best bet is to start with OFA. If there's a SPE, they'll know about it.

If not, they can do something similar, if not as in depth. It's their job to know what programs are available to help seniors. Even if it's not one of their programs, they can steer you to the agency who does administer it.

They can also explain the different types of care available, which can range from a few hours a week at home to 24 hour care in a skilled nursing facility, depending on what your father needs. Other services that might be available include in home aide or nurse care, adult day care, a personal emergency response system (the button you push to call for help), home delivered meals, rehabilitation services, and durable medical equipment such as a wheelchair or oxygen system. Some localities have all these and more, some have fewer.

What you want to know is which services you need and how to arrange for them and, with a little help from folks whose job it is to help, you can actually do most of that yourself.

I'd start with your local Ombudsman program. They were very beneficial when my parents were helping my Grandfather after he got terminal cancer.

A Geriatric doctor specializes in treating the elderly. You can also look into specialties for specific problems your dad has, i.e. If he has heart problem find a cardiologist, if he has mental illness find a psychiatrist.

I would recommend speaking with a doctor that specializes in geriatric care, preferably one who may be able to recommend a high-quality elderly care facility. You can probably start by researching the facilities in your area, find the one that is the best, and ask about which doctors are on staff there. Then, I would try to get in touch with that doctor and see if you can schedule a meeting with him/her.

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