In This Episode:
Dr. K talks with caregiving expert Carol Levine, Director of the Families and Health Care Project at the United Hospital Fund of New York and author of “Planning for Long-Term Care for Dummies.” In this episode, they discuss negotiating caregiving expectations with hospital staff and family members, including:
- Why it’s common for older adults and their family members to have different ideas of what kind of help is needed after a hospitalization
- How to better negotiate what you can and can’t do with hospital staff — or with an older loved one who’s being discharged home
- How Carol managed expectations once her husband required significant caregiving
- What to know about the new laws (CARE acts) that require hospitals to coordinate with family caregivers
- How drawing a “CareMap” can help
- Why it’s often worth getting a professional to help you discuss caregiving with family members
- How to make hospital discharge decisions if an older person has become confused in the hospital
- How family caregivers can reduce guilt and set healthy boundaries
