However, moving a loved one into your home may take a toll on the family caregiver, causing stress, fatigue and strained relationships with family and friends. There are additional options to consider, such as in-home care, assisted living or a nursing home facility. “If you need help, you’re not alone,” said David Mazone, President of Right at Home in Bakersfield. “Recognizing your loved one requires additional assistance is just the first step to ensuring your loved one gets the assistance needed.”

Family caregivers should consider the following factors before moving an aging loved one into their home:

Consider your daily schedule and availability. Caring for an aging loved one is a great way to repay the nurturing love and care he/she gave to you. However, if you are working a full-time job and caring for children of your own, it may be difficult to take on the additional responsibility of someone requiring constant assistance. Be realistic about how much time and energy you have each day to devote to your aging loved one. Also, understand that the level of care you need to provide will most likely increase over time.

Review the history of your past relationship. Getting along well with your loved one and being able to peacefully and successfully overcome any differences is a major benefit when living under the same roof as someone. However, if you have a strained relationship and have a hard time resolving conflicts, be aware that the relationship will not magically improve if you live together. If your loved one suffers from Alzheimer’s or dementia, consider whether you will be able to handle the possible personality changes that may come in the future. 

Ensure your home is physically safe for an aging adult. Ensure that your home doesn’t pose any health or safety hazards. For example, older adults should ideally live on the first floor of your home to avoid stairs. If this is not possible, you may need to have an automatic stair lift installed. You may need to put in a ramp if there are stairs leading up to the front door of your house. Additional modifications may be needed in the bathroom, kitchen and bedroom. For a home safety checklist, visit http://www.rightathome.net/assets/PDF/HomeSafetyChecklist-2.pdf.

Consider the financial impact. Moving an aging loved one into your home may become a financial burden or may provide financial benefits. Come to a financial agreement before any living arrangements are made. Consider having your loved one contribute to household costs to ease the burden. Recognize that you and your family may have to make sacrifices to make the situation work, such as using your savings account or cutting back on entertainment spending. Include other family members involved in your loved one’s care in the discussion. There is no right or wrong way to deal with finances, and agreeing on an arrangement first can help you avoid disagreements later.

Taking a broad view of the situation and determining which solution is right for everyone involved can lead to a happier and healthier family. If you decide to move your aging loved one into your home, remember to allow yourself an occasional respite from caregiving and consider hiring an in-home care agency such as Right at Home in Bakersfield. Trained and bonded caregivers are available to provide companionship, homemaking, physical assistance, hygiene and wellness for your loved one.

About Right at Home
Founded in 1995, Right at Home, Inc. is an international franchise organization based in Omaha, Neb. Independently owned and operated franchise units offer in-home care and assistance to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently. Right at Home offices directly employ all caregiving staff. Each caregiver is thoroughly screened, trained, bonded and insured prior to entering a client’s home. All ongoing care is monitored and supervised by the more than 200 local franchise offices located across 40 states nationwide, the United Kingdom and Brazil. For more information on Right at Home, visit About Right at Home or read the Right at Home caregiving blog. Sign up for Right at Home’s free adult caregiving eNewsletter, Caring Right at Home.
About Right at Home of Bakersfield
The Bakersfield office of Right at Home is a locally owned and operated franchise office of Right at Home, Inc., serving the communities of Bakersfield to Frazier Park, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Taft, Delano, and any communities in between. For more information, contact Right at Home of Bakersfield at www.bakersfield.rightathome.net  (661) 377-2400 or by e-mail at info@rah-bakersfield.com.

Telling a senior they can no longer drive is difficult, but it’s even more difficult telling Mom or Dad.  It is one of the more difficult conversations an adult child could have with their parent.  Physicians have had the ability to report to the DMV if they feel their patient should no longer be driving.  Now, DMV has provided an option for family members to report unsafe drivers anonymously.

Effective November 2007, the California Department of Motor Vehicles has made available a form to report a concern about an unsafe driver.  The form is called a Request for Driver Reexamination.  The form can be downloaded from the DMV’s website at www.dmv.ca.gov under Forms; Driver Safety; Request for Reexamination. If you are an immediate family member, you can report anonymously.

The California DMV has also established a Senior Webpage, meant to provide information for senior drivers.  Here one can find helpful information as well as links to other senior driver websites. The weblink is: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/about/senior/senior_top.htm

NAMI Kern County provides support and referral services to people in need, including Peer to Peer and Family to Family Classes, Frontline Support Groups for Veterans and their families. Please call: 661-868-5061 (General) for more information.

Other Resources:

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) website: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/

United States Dept. of Health & Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSA) National Mental Health Information Center website: http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/

Kern County Mental Health Crisis Center 1-800-991-5272 or 661-868-8000

24-Hour Hotline

For Grandparents raising minor grandchildren, call (661) 868-6750 during Monday-Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm for non-emergency assistance.

GET-A-LIFT is sponsored by Golden Empire Transportation.  GET-A-Lift is a special transportation service designed to provide curb-to-curb service within its service area to qualified persons with disabilities. and is only available to individuals who qualify for one of the following criteria:

1. Any individual with a disability who is unable to board, ride or de-board a bus on the fixed route system that is accessible and usable by other individuals with a disability.
2. Any individual with a disability who needs the assistance of a wheelchair lift or other boarding assistance and the fixed route the want to travel is not wheelchair accessible.
3. Any individual with a disability who has a condition that prevents them from walking or traveling to and from a bus stop on the fixed route system.

There are two types of services available:

1. Subscription Service is offered for customers traveling to the same location on a regular basis. This is limited to employment, school and ongoing medical appointments.
2. General Purpose is offered to customers who take occasional trips for purposes such as medical appointments, shopping or recreation. Reservations can be scheduled between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. seven days a week by calling 869-6363

Applications are available at the District offices. You may also request an application be sent to your home by calling the District office at (661) 324-9874 or you can download a GET-A-Lift Application from the website: http://www.getbus.org/getalift

A one-way trip costs $1.50. Attendants ride free if you are certified to have one. A companion may ride on a space-available basis for the regular $1.50 fare. Passengers must have the exact fare or purchase a GAL punch pass. This pass is good for 10 rides and can be purchased for $15 at the GET office.

Consolidated Transportation Service Agency (CTSA) provides low-cost transportation service for seniors 60+ and disabled community members.  Services are available Monday through Friday. CTSA Office hours are Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Applications can be obtained by calling (661) 392-2035 or downloading from the website at: http://www.norfun.org/html/ctsa.html

Transportation is provided for doctor appointments, senior activities, grocery shopping and other essential trips. A $2 fee will be charged for each one-way

trip.  This is a door-to-door ride share program. The first passenger on the bus may not be the first one off the bus…as riders will be picked up and dropped off along the route.

A personal caregiver may ride with passengers incapable of caring for and/or making decisions for themselves. Wheelchairs must be in proper working condition. Wheelchairs will not be pushed up or down steep inclines. Ramps and lap belts are required. There is a suggested two-week notice required for wheelchair transportation due to limited availability.

This program is available to:

• Any individual sixty (60) years of age or older.
• Any individual with a permanent disability impeding his or her ability to board, ride, or disembark public transportation that is accessible for individuals with disabilities. (A note signed by your primary physician is required if under age 60.)
• Any individual with a permanent disability requiring the assistance of a wheelchair lift or other boarding assistance, and the fixed route available is not wheelchair accessible.
• Any individual with a condition preventing him or her from walking or traveling to or from a bus stop on the fixed route system.

Kern Regional Transit (KRT) is a transit service designed to provide transportation throughout the 8,000 square miles of Kern County. Kern Regional Transit currently has 13 different fixed routes, making it easy for residents and visitors to get around the county without a car.

The KRT Dial-A-Ride is a general public, shared, curb-to-curb transportation service provided for residents who live in Lake Isabella, Lamont, Mojave, Rosamond, Tehachapi and Frazier Park. KRT also provides a non-emergency medical dial-a-ride service to passengers that come into Bakersfield on their fixed routes for medical appointments. Kern Regional Transit currently has a mix of diesel and CNG vehicles, ranging from cut-a-ways to 32- foot transit buses, and operates 7 days per week.  Kern Regional Transit can be contacted by calling 1(800) 323-2396 or 1(800) 560-1733.