Long-distance Caregiving

Caring for a senior who lives far away presents many unique challenges. Use these six pointers to stay organized and informed while caregiving from a distance.

The growing trend of seniors moving closer to family seems like a viable solution to the challenges of long-distance caregiving, but there are drawbacks involved. How do you know if you are making the right decision?

Both local and long-distance caregivers should learn the overt and subtle signs of mistreatment of the elderly and check for them regularly—ideally in person.

One of the biggest challenges for long-distance caregivers is helping aging parents plan for their future health care preferences. Making advance care plans is a key step for your parent to take to be sure that their health care preferences are known.

Even if you live hundreds of miles away, you can still help your elderly parents with their medical care. Healthcare experts recommend that you start by learning as much as you can about your parent's illness, current treatments, and its likely course.

Even If your elderly parents do not live close by, you are still concerned for their care. Make caregiving from a distance more manageable to ensure that your elderly parent is safe and well cared for.

Knowing at what point dementia patients need 24-hour care is critical. Spot the signs it's time for memory care to improve a patient's quality of life.

The progression of her Alzheimer's disease over the last eight years had been pretty much textbook. Still, nothing could have prepared us for the process of putting mom in memory care.

Specialized training enables in-home caregivers to notice and act on important changes in a senior’s health. Personal care aides, home health aides and nurses can serve as the eyes and ears for family who cannot personally provide full-time care.

As we age, eating often becomes more of a chore than a pleasure. Look for these signs that a senior is not eating well and use these tips to prevent malnutrition.

While MIA siblings are the overwhelming norm, some families have very different experiences. This article offers a glimpse into another perspective on caregiving: that oft maligned long-distance siblings may actually be excluded by primary caregivers.

Evaluate your elderly parent's ability to age in place by conducting a thorough assessment to determine if they are physically and mentally able to continue living in their own home.

As care needs increase, many long-distance caregivers decide that their elders would receive better care if they lived closer. The best option for moving seniors who can't handle car trips or air travel is to use a non-emergency medical transport service.

My experiences as a long-distance caregiver for my mother taught my family and I the true significance of the phrase, "Rest in peace."

As their physical and mental abilities begin to decline, an aging elder is often forced to hire outside help or enter an assisted living facility. With the invention of tele-caregiving they now have another option.

Elderly loved ones may be able to downplay changes in their health and abilities between visits, but holiday gatherings allow you to see firsthand how they’re faring. Know the signs of age-related decline and how to address them.

For long-distance caregivers whose parents reside in senior living facilities, frequent in-person visits aren’t always an option. So, how can you manage their care from afar and avoid feeling guilty about not being there more often?

Long-distance caregivers often struggle to monitor and support their aging parents from afar. A geriatric care manager can evaluate a senior’s needs, coordinate their care, communicate regularly with family and provide valuable peace of mind.

The emotions involved in relocating a senior often overshadow the medical, financial and legal implications. Make sure you and your loved one are fully prepared for everything that a move entails.

Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's who lives on the other side of the country can be physically, mentally, and emotionally draining. Caregiver and author Judy Prescott turned to poetry to find solace and community while caring for her mother.