Navigating Your Life and Caring for Aging Parents with Courtney Nalty

“Don't be afraid to ask for help, whether it's paid help or friendly help, ask for help.”

–Courtney Nalty

Are aging parents one of the things you’re balancing right now? Or maybe you see coming? So many people in FLOW365 are balancing caring for parents along with kids, their own health, their business ... and it’s hard. Courtney Nalty wants to make it easier.

Courtney Nalty, is the founder of Generational Support and the creator of The Caregiver Toolbox, which helps people get ready for something a lot of us don’t want to think about — caring for our parents. We’ll talk about ways to prepare to make it more easeful — and things you can do if you are already in the thick of it.

If you google aging in place on, you're going to be inundated with ideas and solutions. Getting advice from somebody who has done the research already, who can guide you, can smooth the way. Then a really important place to start is with what your parents want.

We talk about: 

• How elder law attorneys can help you, having power of attorney before an emergency and having copies of the paperwork
• Safe house checks and medication management
• Starting conversations about what your parents want by talking about what you would like later in life
• Specific challenges related to a hospital discharge
• Knowing who to talk to when it comes to bank accounts, stuff, homes, and more
• Dealing with dementia

ABOUT COURTNEY

Courtney Nalty is a daughter, wife, and a mother of three. She gets the need to find time for everyone and give the best support to all. Courtney spent 11 years working in a retirement community in many different roles. She  also helped care for her father when he was fighting cancer. Courtney knows caregiving takes time, research, education, and even a little trial and error, and she’s here to make life easier for others navigating generational support in the 21st century. She’s the creator or The Caregiver Toolbox, which helps people gain knowledge and confidence while reducing stress in caring for a loved one. 

LINKS

• https://generationalsupport.com/
• The Caregiver Toolbox

DOABLE CHANGES

At the end of every episode, we share three doable changes, so you can take what you've heard and put it into action. Sometimes we don’t act because we’re emotionally stuck or because the change seems so huge. Change comes from action. Even a little shift can make a difference, especially when you keep making those micro shifts. 

Choose one of these doable changes that piques your interest or resonates with where you are — and roll with it. 

Here are three Doable Changes from this conversation:

• START THE CONVERSATION. One of the first steps is finding out what your parents want. You can ask directly, but if your parents are reluctant to talk, try one of these techniques: Using a checklist or workbook — try just leaving it on the table and seeing if they start filling it in or talking — is one way to get started. Another entry to these conversations is talking about your own wishes for your late / end of life. Remember, this isn’t a one and done conversation.
• GET ORGANIZED. Do your parents have power of attorney, living wills, and final wills in place? Do you have copies of them or know how to access them? Do you know your parents’ accounts and passwords? Do you know their doctors, health conditions, medications? You don’t have to gather everything at once, but it can be helpful to start collecting this information if your parents are willing. Start with a check list. Schedule time for each item on the list.
• FORM YOUR TEAM. Ask for and accept help, paid or otherwise. You could start by making a list of people you may need on your team, such as an elder law specialist, care managers or social workers. You could list people you could turn to for task support — their neighbor or a friend who could help with errands or the local senior center. Make a list of people who can support you, as a caretaker. Anticipate support you may need — resources for caretakers may help you do that — so that you can research before you are in an emergency situation.