Managing the Stress of Caring for Your Elderly Parent

It can be very difficult caring for an elderly parent or patient with dementia. Unfortunately, family member caregivers frequently can feel burnout providing that care. This is especially true if there is only one caregiver. Frequent doctors appointments, help needed transporting to the bathroom at night, medication compliance and other chores continue to add up leaving no time to care for your personal tasks. A good elder care attorney can guide you to home assistance. The state of Illinois has enacted the Respite Program Act. The purpose of this legislation was to provide relief and support to the primary care-giver of a frail adult or an adult with a disability and provides a break for the caregiver from the continuous responsibilities of care-giving. Without this support, the primary care-giver's ability to continue in his or her role would be jeopardized; thereby increasing the risk of institutionalization of the frail adult or adult with a disability.  320 ILCS 10/1.5 The goal of this act to provide a substitute to allow a child caregiver a short break.

            The legislature has tasked the Department on Aging to oversee all assistance activities. The Department on Aging has assigned providers to administer this program based upon where you are located. You simply have to input your location in the Provider Profile, follow the directions, and call your local provider to assist you with your care for your parent. The Law Office of Jonathan W. Cole is located in Worth Township. The Provider in this area is PLOWS.  This acronym is based upon the communities they serve, Palos, Lemont, Orland, and Worth. Although you will need to contact Plows individually, you should know if you are eligible under the Respite Program Act. Eligibility includes persons suffering from Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder and persons who are 60 years of age or older with an identified service need. Priority shall be given in all cases to frail adults or adults with disabilities.  320 ILCS 10/5 If you are approved for this additional care, PLOWS will work with you to ensure that a qualified and trained individual can substitute in the care-giving responsibilities for a period of time, giving you the well needed time for rest or opportunity to catch up on your chores. In addition to these services, plows can offer assessments for home or community based services, home-delivered meals, or even shared housing. If you have specific questions on the best way to comprehensively plan to your parent’s care, please contact the Law Office of Jonathan W. Cole at (708) 529-7794 to schedule a consultation.