An unanticipated crisis can bring sudden and severe psychological and physical stress to the caregiving situation. Because immediate actions and decisions are often required, you should try to first focus on gathering the documents necessary for immediate decision-making, and next determine what kinds of services and assistance your parent will need now and in the immediate future.

There are many resources available to caregivers in a crisis. Our family caregiver resource centers can help direct you to services in Southern Illinois. If your loved one lives elsewhere, the national ElderCare Locator can direct you to services in that locale.

A hospital discharge planner or social worker can help you arrange for medical services, such as skilled nursing care and medical equipment.

The following questions can help you prioritize the steps you and your parent might need to take when working through a crisis.

1. How might the crisis change your parent’s life? How will it affect your life?
2. Does or will your parent need to take prescriptions? Will there be a need for physical or occupational therapy or psychotherapy? Is it likely your parent’s condition may worsen? How soon?
3. Does your parent have a Living Will, Power of Attorney for Health Care and/or for Property?
4. Will your parent need long-term care or increasing levels of care? Will you need to discuss relocation to other housing or assisted living options or a nursing home? Does your parent have a long-term care insurance policy in place that covers some of the costs involved with in-home or nursing home care?
5. Does your parent need to repair or adapt his or her home so he or she can return home after the emergency, sell it to finance a move, or rent it for income?
6. Will your parent be able to use local services? How will the service expenses be paid? Is the service offered on a sliding-fee scale where a person’s fee is based on their level of income?
7. Do you and your parent need the services of a professional case manager? Will a one-time needs assessment suffice or will ongoing monitoring and assessment be required?

A look at caregiving ...

1. Over 80% of the care provided to older people is provided by family caregivers. A national study by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP shows that nearly one in four households (22.4 million) provides caregiving to older adults.
2. Other than the spouse of an older person, the typical caregiver is a 46-year-old women who is employed outside the home and spends approximately 18 hours a week in caregiving activities.
3. 64% of caregivers are in the labor force.
4. Caregivers provide everything from companionship, personal care, and transportation to help with meal preparation, household chores, financial management, and assistance in obtaining benefits.
5. Approximately 25% of caregivers take care of someone with dementia.
6. Many caregivers are part of the “sandwich generation,” meaning they are caring for children and older parents at the same time.
7. Caregivers often become isolated from their family and friends as a result of their caregiving duties.
8. Though caregivers want to provide care, they often experience physical, financial, and emotional strain and they often don’t know where to find help.
9. It has been estimated that 14.4 million Americans who juggle jobs and care for an elderly relative costs businesses as much as $29 billion annually in absenteeism, tardiness, and other lost productivity. For this reason, many businesses are beginning to develop eldercare programs that can assist employees who are faced with the challenge of caring for older relatives.

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