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Elderlink’s Qualified Care Counselors Base Referrals On Individual Needs

There comes a time in most every family’s existence when the subject of senior care for a parent or loved one must be discussed. A difficult conversation to have on its face, it becomes even more difficult given that each case, each individual, requires a different set of services to meet their needs. This is something the qualified care professionals of Elderlink never forget. A free senior referral service offering personalized referral lists for nursing homes, dementia care, assisted living facilities, board and care facilities and more, Elderlink takes the time to consider the individual at the heart of each referral request.

Understanding each circumstance is unique means taking a number of specific factors into account. For example, what are the physical needs of the person, and how best can these needs be met? The economical needs of the family also come into play. How much will proper care cost, and what can the family afford? What about geographical considerations? Is there a suitable facility near where the senior citizen is living now and that is close to family and friends? Finally, what are the social needs of the person, and which facility best meets these needs?

Working with Elderlink, you’ll be able to find senior care that is not only appropriate but also cost effective. The process is completed by phone or by filling out an Online Referral Request Form; with Elderlink qualified counselors manning the phones 24/7 to answer your questions and get the referral process started. All of the factors elaborated on above will be taken into consideration, with prospective facilities pre-screened and evaluated by Elderlink before being added or eliminated from your personal referral list.

As a family you owe it to your loved one and yourself to understand the options available to you and how they relate to your specific situation. Elderlink has been serving all of California since 1994, and has garnered its peerless reputation by remembering the individual at the heart of each referral request. Licensed by the California Department of Public Health and certified by the Department of Social Services, Elderlink invites you to take advantage of their free senior referral services.

ELDERLINK is staffed by qualified, knowledgeable people who prescreen and evaluate care facilities for you. We have operators standing by 24/7 to answer your questions at 800-613-5772. Or, you can visit our website www.elderlink.org and submit a Referral Request Form today.

Different Types Of Senior Care Facilities Cater To Specific Needs

Finding the right type of senior care for a patient or loved one is no easy task, and one reason is that there are so many different types of senior care facilities at the public’s disposal. Elderlink, a free senior referral services for California families in need of nursing homes, retirement homes, assisted living, dementia care facilities, board and care facilities and more, invites you to read on below for a refresher course on the different types of facilities available to you and your family.

Retirement – Retirement facilities house alert, independent, and ambulatory residents. Daily housekeeping, meals, snacks, laundry, activities, entertainment, transportation and companionship are included. Some Age 60 and over retirement facilities provide additional services including bathing assistance and dressing and medication supervision.

Assisted Living – Like retirement homes, assisted living facilities count daily housekeeping, meals, snacks, laundry, activities, entertainment, transportation and companionship among their services. In addition, they offer ambulatory and non-ambulatory residents assistance with bathing, dressing, dispensing of medication, incontinence care, and in some cases even offer memory loss sections.

Board and Care RCFE – These are small residential care facilities for the elderly (RCFE). Care includes assistance with bathing, dressing, medication supervision, incontinence care, walking, feeding, grooming, wandering, and daily activities. Residents of such facilities may be either ambulatory or non-ambulatory and may suffer from short-term memory loss, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, stroke damage, Parkinson’s Disease, or heart disease. All meals, snacks, housekeeping, and laundry are included.

Alzheimer’s/Dementia – Such facilities offer specialized programs for residents suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease and other related forms of memory loss. Alzheimer’s/Dementia facilities are generally secured facilities.

Skilled Nursing – Skilled nursing facilities offer a variety of services across the board including convalescent care; rehabilitation; physical, occupational, speech, and respiratory therapy; wound care, sub-acute, and more. Residents generally include those who have nursing needs, are bedridden, require tube feeding and I.V.’s, are unable to ambulate, are severely confused with dementia related illnesses, or have a terminal illness.

Elderlink has been serving all of California since 1994; providing families with the information and options they need to make an informed decision regarding senior care for their parent or loved one. Call (800) 613-5772 or visit online at www.elderlink.org to consult with the qualified care counselors of Elderlink. In timely fashion they’ll create a free personalized list of referrals based on your individual needs.

How To Know When A Parent Can No Longer Live Alone?

The hardest thing about determining when an elderly parent can no longer live alone is that no two cases are alike. Without question the topic of senior care needs to be broached not only with an eye on the individual’s needs but also with a sensitivity as to what could be a major change in their life. Elderlink, a free senior referral service offering personalized lists of California nursing homes, assisted living facilities, dementia care services and more, reminds you that while there is no right or wrong answer to this question, there are common concerns that may hint at the need for senior care.

Some of the concerns families deal with in determining if a parent needs a senior care facility include:

  • Poor nutrition
  • Dehydration
  • Lack of personal hygiene
  • Falling
  • Loneliness
  • Depression
  • Confusion
  • Forgetfulness
  • Wandering
  • Not taking medications
  • Making irrational decisions
  • Not paying bills
  • Repeated questions

A senior who exhibits some or all of these characteristics may be a candidate for assisted living of some sort. At this point many families begin asking questions that they may have never considered before. Namely:

  • Who will take care of my parent?
  • Who is going to pay for their care?
  • How long can they stay at a given facility?
  • Who can give me the right information?

At this crucial moment the qualified care counselors at Elderlink are a lifeline for families just like yours. Via phone or their Online Referral Request Form you can spell out the unique aspects of your situation and the individualized care your parent needs. Armed with this information, Elderlink’s professional staff will compile a reliable and accurate personalized list of facilities that address those needs. All facilities are pre-screened and evaluated by Elderlink prior to being included on any referral list. Best of all, the services they provide are free to the public, and that means you!

Being the adult child of aging parents isn’t something we’re trained for, and as time goes by the decisions can get harder. If the time has come to seek a senior care facility for your parent, it helps to proceed from a position of knowledge and with options at your disposal. Working with Elderlink will save time and relieve stress, anxiety, and frustration. Most importantly, it will help you find the services you need.

Elderlink Brings Senior Care Options To Families That Need Them

Of all the important decisions we make in life, few are as important as deciding what to do with an elderly parent who can no longer live alone. From nursing homes to assisted living facilities to dementia care services, board and care facilities and more, there are many types of senior care facilities, and it can be daunting for a family to find the proper help for their loved ones. That’s where Elderlink comes in. Elderlink is a free senior referral service that can help families conduct a personalized facility search based on their individual needs.

Elderlink’s highly qualified care counselors provide complete, accurate, and reliable information and invaluable support. In the process they can help families just like yours to understand the options available to them. When you reach Elderlink by phone or via their Online Referral Request Form, a qualified care counselor will take into account all of the social, geographical, physical, and economic needs unique to your situation. Next they will conduct a personalized search based up on the above factors. All facilities are pre-screened and evaluated by Elderlink before being recommended to you.

No matter what type of facility you are looking for, Elderlink looks for many of the same qualities during our pre-screening and evaluation. These include safe and clean amenities, qualified caregivers, personalized services, and cost effectiveness. Once these criteria are met we can add it to the list of referrals based on your personal needs.

Left to their own devices and through no fault of their own, families can often make the wrong decision regarding senior care for their particular situation. Most families simply don’t have the resources or the knowledge to know what constitutes the right facility for their loved one. Elderlink does, and will go the extra mile in compiling a list that gives your family what it needs most… options.

There is a reason Elderlink is licensed by the California Department of Public Health and certified by the Department of Social Services. Their efforts on behalf of families who only want the best for their loved ones have helped countless families throughout California. Best of all their services are free, and all it takes to get started is a simple phone call to (800) 613-5772 or a visit to their website at www.elderlink.org.

Top 5 Things To Look For In A Care Facility For Your Aging Parent

Are the residents dressed properly? Are they happy and content? Is there a general feeling of warmth and caring? These are just some of the questions you must ask yourself before deciding on the right senior care facility for your aging parent, be it an assisted living or nursing home, retirement community, or facility specializing in dementia care or Alzheimer care.

When choosing a care facility, look for:

  1. Services appropriate to your parent’s needs. When catering to the unique needs of your aging loved one, a cookie-cutter approach simply cannot work. Different care facilities specialize in different things, so it is essential that you choose one specifically tailored to specific needs. For instance, many facilities are open only to patients with dementia, and Alzheimer’s in particular.
  2. Qualified, compassionate staff members. Your parent is going to be spending 24 hours a day in the care facility you choose. That means every moment of her life from this point forward will be dependent on that facility’s staff members. To ensure her physical, mental and emotional health it is essential that she receive the professional, yet personalized, care every aging parent deserves.
  3. Safe, clean amenities. The safety and cleanliness of a care facility is always a good indication of the quality service your loved will probably receive there. Plus, having safe, clean amenities is the surest way to protect your parent from illnesses and injuries that her body cannot afford.
  4. Affordability. One of the most common reasons people shy away from care facilities is the perception that the cost is beyond affordable. Granted, it is a significant investment but it is also possible to find a facility within your budget without compromising on the level of care your loved one will receive there.
  5. Location. Convincing an aging parent to live in a care facility can be a challenge for many reasons, not the least of which is their fear that they won’t see their loved ones anymore. In other words, it’s a good idea to look for a care facility in your parent’s hometown where they have family and friends who can visit.

These criteria can be hard to find on their own, but it’s especially challenging to find a care facility that meets all five of these expectations.

Fortunately, there is a free referral service that does the legwork for you.

ELDERLINK is staffed by qualified, knowledgeable people who screen and evaluate care facilities for you. We have operators standing by 24/7 to answer your questions at 800-613-5772.  Or, you can visit our website www.elderlink.org and submit a Referral Request Form today.

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