Health Tip: Long-Distance Caregiving

More Americans are faced with caring for older relatives, and frequently this involves long-distance care.

It can be difficult to manage the care of a loved one from afar. But with proper planning, time-management and dedication, a long-distance caregiver can be as effective as one who lives nearby.

The National Institute on Aging offers these suggestions to make long-distance caregiving more manageable:

Be informed. Know what you need to know about the health of your loved one. Read about the loved one’s condition and learn as much as you can.
Plan your visits and allow for enough time to accomplish everything.
Spend time actually visiting with your family member. Don’t make the trip only about the illness.
Get in touch with all relevant doctors whenever you visit to make sure you are well-informed about the health of your loved one.
Help the person stay in contact with you by providing a dedicated landline or cell phone.
Take a course on caregiving.
Gather a list of resources near the loved one, so you can best help that person.

Source: HealthDay