What it means to be a caregiver

One of the first hurdles to deal with when providing caregiver support is helping people to realize that they are, in fact, caregivers. Here’s a breakdown of your average unpaid caregiver in the United States:

Getting a handle on Medicare

Besides the household chores and the rides to the doctor, it may be necessary to help your loved one get enrolled in a Medicare plan. We can help you make an appointment to meet with a Licensed Medicare Advisor or attend a seminar to help guide you through your questions about the different parts of Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans, the enrollment process, and more.

Make an appointment

To help enroll a loved one in Medicare, or even to manage their current Original Medicare, Medigap, or Medicare Advantage plan, you’ll need to have the following pieces of information handy:

— Social Security number, if enrolling in Original Medicare

— Medicare number, if already a Medicare member (you can find this on their red, white, and blue Medicare card)

— Other insurance plans and policy numbers

— Contact information for health care professionals like doctors, specialists, nurses, or pharmacists

— List of current prescription drugs and dosages

— Information on current health conditions, treatments, and symptoms

— History of past health problems

— Allergies or food restrictions

— Emergency contacts, such as close friends, neighbors, clergy, or housing manager

In some situations and depending on where you live, you may need to get power of attorney as well. But, in the meantime, there are a few other websites that can help you be a better caregiver:

The National Caregivers Library

A great resource with hundreds of articles on a variety of topics.

MyMedicare

Helps you manage your loved one’s Original Medicare plan.

Medicare Personal Health Records

Keep track of projects about how to manage personal health records.

Take time to take care of yourself

Being a caregiver is a difficult job. It’s important to remember that it’s OK to get tired and frustrated once in a while. In fact, there are a lot of emotions that you can expect to feel at different stages of the caregiving process. Then, knowing when you’re reaching your limit is another important step to help avoid caregiver burnout. Let us help you stay healthy too.

9 Emotions of Being a Caregiver

Recognizing Caregiver Burnout