FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FAMILIES LACK KNOWLEDGE OF SENIORS’ MEDICATIONS AND FINANCES, NEW RESEARCH SHOWS
Free “Senior Emergency Kit” Helps Adult Children Prepare For Crisis
OMAHA, Neb. (May 10, 2011) – Many future family caregivers are unprepared for a senior care emergency, lacking knowledge of their seniors’ medications and important financial information, according to new research for the Home Instead Senior Care® network. The survey was conducted by The Boomer Project of more than 600 adults ages 45 to 65 who said they are likely to assume a caregiver role for their parents within the next 10 years. Less than half (47 percent) say they are knowledgeable about their parents’ medical histories in case of an emergency
Among other findings, the study showed:
- Approximately half (49 percent) are unable to name any of the medications taken by their parents each day.
- Three in 10 (31 percent) don’t know how many medications their parents take.
- About one-third (34 percent) doesn’t know if their parents have a safety deposit box or where the key is located.
- An estimated 36 percent don’t know where their seniors’ financial information is located.
“This survey was no surprise to us, since we often are called to assist when families are in crisis,” said Jeff Huber, president and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Home Instead Senior Care network. “We’ve seen the turmoil that such a situation creates and we’ve also witnessed how much smoother it can go when families are prepared.”
That’s why the Home Instead Senior Care network has worked with Humana Points of Caregiving® to develop a variety of resources including the Senior Emergency KitSM and website at www.SeniorEmergencyKit.com that can help family caregivers keep important information at their fingertips.
The toolkit is designed so that family caregivers have ready access to such information as a senior’s doctors’, pharmacy and insurance company, medications and dosage details, as well as allergies and important documents.
For more information, visit the site or contact your local Home Instead Senior Care office. To find an office near you, visit www.homeinstead.com.
ABOUT HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE
Founded in 1994 in Omaha by Lori and Paul Hogan, the Home Instead Senior Care® network is the world's largest provider of non-medical in-home care services for seniors, with more than 900 independently owned and operated franchises providing in excess of 45 million hours of care throughout the United States, Canada, Japan, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, Switzerland, Germany, South Korea, Finland, Austria, Italy and Puerto Rico. The Home Instead Senior Care network employs more than 65,000 CAREGiversSM worldwide who provide basic support services – activities of daily living (ADLs), personal care, medication reminders, meal preparation, light housekeeping, errands, incidental transportation and shopping – which enable seniors to live safely and comfortably in their own homes for as long as possible. At Home Instead Senior Care, it’s relationship before task, while continuing to provide superior quality service that enhances the lives of seniors everywhere.
ABOUT HUMANA POINTS OF CAREGIVING
Humana Points of Caregiving® is a complete caregiving community, with expert information, advice, and tools to help caregivers make decisions with confidence. For more information, call 1-877-260-7277 (TTY: 711) Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Humana Points of Caregiving is made available by Humana Inc., one of the nation's largest publicly traded health and supplemental benefits companies. As a leader in health benefits innovation, Humana delivers guidance and consumer-oriented options for individuals and employer groups who seek the best possible healthcare outcomes through choosing, financing, and using their benefits with confidence.
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CONTACT:
Chris Roslan
DRC Inc. Public Relations
(212) 966-4600
chris(AT)drcpublicrelations.com
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