Get respite. Take a break of at least a week at least once a year. You can hire help in the house or arrange for a respite stay at an assisted living facility or nursing home.
Get regular exercise. It’s necessary for your health and to moderate any stress you may be feeling. If you can’t get out of the house to exercise, buy or rent a stationary bicycle or other exercise equipment.
Eat well. Make sure you stay healthy and have sufficient energy to do what you need to for your loved one.
Get enough sleep. Lack of sleep will sap your patience and reserves, making it more difficult for you to provide the care you would like to give your loved one.
Join a support group. While you may or may not be in this alone, you’re not the only one in this situation. Others are going through similar experiences.
Hire a geriatric care manager. An experienced geriatric care manager can help you determine whether your loved one is receiving the most appropriate care and what resources in the community are available to assist you.
Therefore, make sure that you consult an elder law attorney and have a plan in place to pay for long-term care expenses. In addition, make sure that your attorney prepares any and all documentation that may be needed, such as a will, trust, power of attorney, health care proxy and living will. And then, make sure that you take care of yourself. Think of the care-giving as a marathon, not a sprint. Caregivers must pace themselves and conserve their energy for the long-term. Too much stress and exhaustion won’t help you or your loved one.
Practice Areas: Aged and Aging; Elder law; Estate Planning; Medicaid; Medicare; Long Term Care Insurance; Wills; trusts; Health Care; Guardianships; Probate; Taxzation; Trusts & Estates; Veteran's Benefits/Planning; Planning for Same Sex Couples.
Admitted: 1977, New York and Massachusetts
Member: New York State Bar Association (Member, Executive Committee, Elder Law Section); National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (Board of Directors; Co-Chair, Public Policy Committee; Chair, Health Care Decision making Subcommittee of the Public Policy Committee; Member, Public Relations Committee and Long Term Care Task Force); Member, & Present Chair Legal Committee of The Alzheimer's Association (Long Island Chapter).
Biography: Phi Beta Kappa. Certified Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation. Lecturer, New York State Bar Association, The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, The Alzheimer's Association and many other organizations. REciepient of; rose Kryzak Senior Leadership Award for providing outstanding legal services to seniors; AARP's Building Bridges Award.
Contributing articles found in: The New York Times, Long Island Newsday, The New York Law Journal, The Wall Street Journal, Queens Courier.