Do you help your loved one with home care or meal prep as her caregiver, but now she’s expressed an interest in becoming a snowbird for several months a year to escape the cold and you’re not sure how to help her maintain her quality of life while so far away from you? The good news is that your loved one is not alone and since many people like her express a desire to have two homes – one in the northern part of the country and one in the southern, snowbird services are available for her.
What is a Snowbird?
Suppose you haven’t heard the term before. In that case, a snowbird is a fun term used by many southern residents to refer to “northerners” who have a second residence in a typically warmer state (two of the most common are Florida and Arizona but it can be anywhere). These “snowbirds” often move down to their warmer areas sometime near the beginning of the winter months, then stay until the temperatures and weather become more favorable in their home state.
Three Reasons to Escape a Cold Climate for the Winter
Your elderly loved one can have a lot of good reasons to want to escape a climate where the weather and the temperatures make living pleasantly almost unbearable, especially as she ages.
Three reasons many elderly decide to become snowbirds include:
- The lack of sunlight has a direct effect on their health. From lacking vitamin D to suffering from seasonal affective disorder to having her arthritis flare more, warmer areas of the country could improve her health.
- Her inability to go places. When winter hits many areas, many seniors become more isolated because they don’t feel comfortable driving on icy roads or don’t like to drive in the dark.
- Seniors often have a harder time staying warm so those long months of cold can become extremely miserable for them as they struggle with being at a comfortable temperature both inside and outside.
How to Manage Your Loved One’s Care While She’s Residing in Another State
While it might seem a bit disconcerting to not be able to physically pop in and check on your loved one as often as you’d like if she decides to reside in another state for several months each year, there are steps you can take to help make her transition successful and ensure she has the support and care she needs while soaking up the sun and warm weather.
Arrange for healthcare in her new area.
Make sure your loved one knows where the hospital is, where to get her medications refilled, and who to call if she needs to have something checked out. It’s also important to understand where and if she can use her medical insurance.
Plan for transportation needs
Does your loved one need help navigating her new community? Find out what resources are available to her or if she’ll need to be able to drive on her own.
Line up home care assistance
If your loved one needs help with meals or home care where she currently resides, make sure she has those same services by arranging for snowbird services. A snowbird services provider can customize their home care assistance to what your loved one needs to keep her safe and well in her temporary home.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Snowbird Services Services in Coconut Creek FL, please contact the caring staff at Star Multi Care today. Call 954-962-0926.
Star Multi Care is a Trusted Home Care Agency in Florida including Palm Beach, Miami Dade, and Broward County.
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