Your father is 83 years old. You don’t live with him, but you are the primary person on whom he relies.  He is having difficulty caring for himself but he wants to remain in his own home. However, you know that he is sometimes taking the wrong medicines because he refuses to throw away the old pills. He sometimes doesn’t eat all day. He is having problems cooking for himself. He has recently been scammed by someone on the telephone. What do you do? You are working and you have a family that needs your attention.

You’re responsible for the care and protection of your aging parent, but as a Service member you are often stationed in areas that limit your ability to provide for their needs.  Regardless of where you are stationed, your aging parent needs your help. That’s where come in.

Perhaps, your 79-year-old mother lives in the Sumter, SC area.  She has had a stroke and is having problems caring for herself. You came as soon as you could, but you’ve got to get back to your unit.  She has home health, but they can only provide her with care for a limited time. She will need help maintaining all that goes in to daily life like:

• shopping for groceries,
• paying her bills,
• getting and keeping medical appointments,
• coordinating with health care providers,
• evaluating when may be the time for more advanced care

How is her medical progress and quality of daily life? How will you know if she is safe and properly caring for herself?

Perhaps your older sister has advanced Rheumatoid Arthritis or is having trouble with self-care and lives alone. You live in the Charleston which makes it difficult to help her on a daily basis. Because you are her durable and medical power of attorney the hospital has contacted you letting you know that she has been admitted for dehydration and other related factors. Unfortunately, she is no longer able to manage her care on her own. After improving, the doctor thinks she can go to an assistive living home. You now need to find the best place for her, help her sell her home and handle everything related to transitioning from a home she’s lived in for 40 years. She will need a variety of services and assistance selecting the right providers to make this possible. It’s an overwhelming process and you don’t know where to start.