Caregiving
(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 62)
facilities with inviting, comfortable,
social living spaces that…help elders
to live happier, more satisfying lives.”
Grouped in an airy house with a central
dining room, from 9 to 12 Green House
residents enjoy private bedrooms and
baths. Caregivers attend to their needs
and also socialize with them. Skilled
health professionals, meanwhile, visit
on a rotating basis. Nationwide, more
than 100 Green House communities
have opened their doors.
But what about families without
such options who must make hard
choices now? If finances permit,
Thomas says, a family in crisis should
hire a social worker or other expert to
help them sort through their options.
Those who can’t afford this should
call their local Area Agency on Aging
(AAA), federally funded agencies that
serve every county.
If possible, families should build
friendships with these agencies be-
fore any need arises. “There’s an old
saying: Dig the well before you’re
thirsty,” Thomas says. “Your AAA is
the place where you get connected on
everything. They’ll talk to you for free;
they’ll be delighted.” When people get
to know these agencies, it can make a
difference on a broader level, he adds:
“The more that ordinary people know
about what’s available to elders in their
communities, the more educated they
will be as consumers. And as educated
consumers, they can demand changes
and additions to the existing system.”
But often, people don’t know pre-
cisely what to seek for their old-
er relatives. Start by asking them,
while they’re still healthy, what they
will want when they can no longer
take care of themselves, ombudsman
Castro urges. “Ask them, ‘What if you
were to become incapacitated?’ Ask
about do-not-resuscitate orders. Ask
about finances.” And, she adds, ask
what they would need to feel content
in a new environment.
