RespiteMatch.com Health Blog

Reading about the latest medical breakthroughs, understanding recent research into aging and keeping up on the politics of elder care are all things that you can do to stay informed about the world around you—particularly as it relates to your role as a caregiver. Keeping abreast of changes in policies, procedures, recommendations, services and funding can help you in your quest to provide the best care possible.

Media
Where can you find information? The following are
some common sources of knowledge.

n Newspapers n Television n Pamphlets
n Magazines n Internet n Videos
n Books n Newsletters

Other Sources of Knowledge
You’ll often want to ask for recommendations and
advice about information that you have heard; where
can you turn? Here are a few sources of help:

n Doctors, Social Workers and Other Professionals
n Hospitals
n Associations and Organizations
(e.g., Alzheimer’s Association)
n Support Groups
n Senior Centers
n Hospitals
n Assisted Living Facilities and Nursing Homes
n Area Agency on Aging
n Elder Law Attorneys
n Therapists

Specifics
Try to keep abreast of the specifics in your care recipient’s
life, talking with doctors, social workers, home
health care workers, nurses and anyone else who works
with your relative. They can all provide you with valuable
information, helping you to stay informed about
the things that matter most—both to you and to your
care recipient.

If you are not living with your care recipient, ask
neighbors and friends to keep an eye out for him or her
while you are gone—and leave your home and work
numbers with them so they can call you if something
doesn’t seem quite right. Also give your name and numbers
to doctors, social workers, therapists and other professionals
who deal with your care recipient on a regular
basis. They, too, can let you know about any problems
or emergencies.

Often, an aging parent can be a good source of
information. Ask: how are you feeling? Why do you
think you are feeling that way? What kinds of treatment
do you prefer? Have you heard anything interesting
about research into your condition lately? You may be
surprised how closely your care recipient follows the
news.