Elder Care Issues

As a large cohort of the population ages, there is more need than ever to open up discussion of caring for older people. Decisions about health care, independent living, supports such as assisted living or complex care, coordination of resources, communication between caregivers/resources, and maintaining the dignity of the older person are all important topics for consideration. Each circumstance is unique, and thus one needs to try to be flexible to make unique solutions workable. There are many psychological issues that arise related to each of these decisions, and to the process aging itself. As well, this is often a time when struggles occur between family members, and when there is a need to try to work together. Old emotional issues can arise and complicate the planning process. For the sake of the elderly family member, and for the integrity of the family, it can be beneficial to attend counseling to work out the emotional barriers that are getting in the way of successful planning.