Contact DHS

Division of Aging and
Adult Services
PO Box 1437
Slot 1412
Little Rock AR 72203

Appreciated, proud, hopeful, worried, frustrated, sad, overwhelmed. Caring for a parent raises a wide range of emotions. But the emotion reported most often by adults caring for their parents is love.

FamilyCircle and the Kaiser Family Foundation conducted a survey to examine the knowledge and experience of the growing number of Americans who are helping an aging parent.

The survey revealed that many adults with a parent 65 or older — especially women — are actively involved in the routine lives of their aging parents, including helping make heath and financial decisions.

43% of adults surveyed say that their parent would most likely turn to themselves, other family members or friends for health insurance information. One quarter said they currently help their parents with health insurance paper work or bills.

The survey revealed that adult children often do not have all the facts and information they need about their parents' health care and finances, or about important health care programs:

• 43% say they feel they know next to nothing at all about health insurance to help their parent.
  
  
• 45% of those who say their parent has a regular doctor do not know who that doctor or health care provider is.
  
  
• 30% of adults say they do not know where their parent keeps important papers such as their health insurance care, financial statement, or will.

The survey also found a lack of knowledge about Medicare and Medicaid. Few adults with a parent 65+ have basic knowledge of the benefits that are not covered by Medicare. Only 38% correctly stated that Medicare does not generally pay for prescription drugs, and only a third (34%) correctly stated that Medicare does not pay for nursing home care.

"Not every senior needs help with health and financial decisions as they age, but when they do, they often turn to their children for advice. Understanding Medicare is a new challenge for baby boomers," said Patricia Neuman, Sc.D., vice president of the Kaiser Family Foundation.

"Child-care issues were the most talked about stresses for families of the 20th century. We believed that caring for our aging parents is the new most-pressing stress of the 21st century and that's why we conducted this survey," said Susan Ungaro, editor in chief of FamilyCircle. "By identifying what worries adult children most and the health and social issues about which they are misinformed, we can help educate families on how to better deal with their aging parents."

Most older Americans are in relatively good health. For those that do need care, the system can be difficult to negotiate. Actually there is no system to negotiate. There are a bunch of different systems, programs, agencies, policies, rules and regulations. After working the field for 21 years, I must still turn to others for help.

On top of this, caring for an aging parent often strains relationships with family members. 24% of adults caring for a parent 65+ say it has caused stress in their relationship with their parent. 21% report stress in their relationship with siblings. 16% of those caring for an aging parent report it has caused stress in their relationship with their spouse.

Fortunately help is available. Start by calling your regional Area Agency on Aging or local senior center. Information about Area Agencies on Aging in Arkansas is contained in this issue of Aging Arkansas.

If you live in a different state than your parent, call the National Eldercare Locator.

The Eldercare Locator can put you in touch with state and local information that enables older persons to find help to remain independent in their own homes. It can also help caregivers find ways to get a well-deserved break.

When you call the Eldercare Locator, you will talk to a friendly, trained professional who has access to an extensive list of information and referral services that lend support to seniors.

You will get information on how to locate a wide variety of services like meals, home care transportation, housing alternative, home repair, recreation, social activities, legal and other community services.

The Eldercare Locator will provide you with the names and phone numbers of organizations within a desired location, anywhere in the country.

Anyone can call the Eldercare Locator on the toll-free number, 1-800-677-1116, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Eastern Time. Please have the following information ready:

1. County and city name or zip code. This will help to identify the information resource nearest to the person requiring assistance.
   
   
2. Brief description of the problem. If you are unsure about what kind of service is best for your situation, do not worry. Highly trained staff can direct you to a source that can answer your questions.

For those with access to the Internet, an online resource guide called Because We Care is available. It is designed for those who are caring for an older family member, adult child with disabilities, or older friend. This Guide provides information and a range of suggestions to make caregiving easier and more successful — whether you are the caregiver or the person who ensures that your family member or friend receives the best possible care from others.

Because We Care can be found at: http://www.aoa.gov/wecare/