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How to Care for Your Aging Parents When They Are Sick

Recorded on 1/22/2006

PROGRAM DETAILS:

All of us will one day need to care for our parents as they age, just as one day we will need care ourselves. Joining the show to discuss this important topic is Dr. Stuart Farber, an Associate Professor of Family Medicine at the University of Washington. Dr. Farber specializes in geriatrics, and is also Director of Medicine for a Seattle nursing home.

Dr. Farber starts off by sharing his experience with an aging Mother. He and his wife decided to care for her in their own home, and he talks about the difficulties and joys of the experience. He also gives advice for families who don’t have the space or the resources to bring a parent into their home and offers suggestions for ways that others can have that kind of connection and personal care.

Andrew and Dr. Farber discuss the importance of talking to your parents about their wishes while they are healthy. They give tips on how to start these difficult, emotional discussions that parents and kids often don’t want to have. Dr. Farber also talks about the different kinds of care facilities and how to find the best quality institution for your relative. He gives a caretaker’s perspective on how to get the best quality of care for your loved ones. Several callers weigh in on the discussion with questions and advice of their own.

While caring for your parents can be an overwhelming experience, it’s important to remember you’re not alone. Dr. Farber describes the eight months he spent with his mother at the end of her life. He says it was “a gift that was so rewarding that I wouldn’t exchange it for anything.” Listen now learn how to care for those who cared for you, and why it’s so important.

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EXPERTS & GUESTS:
Stuart Farber, M.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine
Dr. Stuart Farber is an Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Washington. He received his medical degree from the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle and went on to complete a residency in family practice at the Medical College of Wisconsin-Deaconess Hospital in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Dr. Farber is board certified in family... more >

TRANSCRIPT:

  1. Dr. Farber’s Story
  2. Listener Questions
  3. Discussing End of Life Issues with Your Parent
  4. Questions from Callers
  5. Defining Goals for Quality of Life

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