Liz Weston: How to be a better long-distance caregiver

AARP has numerous resources for caregivers, including a “Prepare to Care” planning guide and a financial workbook for estimating and tracking costs. Goyer, who cared for her grandparents, parents and a sister from afar, suggests the following ideas to make long-distance caregiving more effective and manageable.

If you can’t physically check in on your loved one regularly, enlist others who can, Goyer says. Those could include family members or friends who live closer, or even a friendly neighbor to whom you can give your contact information.

“You may say, ‘Hey, if you notice grass isn’t getting mowed, things around the house look like they’re not being kept up, will you let me know?’” Goyer suggests.

If you have siblings, they can pitch in even if they’re long-distance too, Goyer says. They can make daily check-in calls or handle tasks such as paying bills, making medical appointments and dealing with insurance companies.

If you have the means, consider hiring a geriatric care manager , also known as an aging life care professional , to help you evaluate your loved one’s caregiving needs, hire home health aides if necessary and step in if there’s a crisis. These professionals, who are often nurses or social workers, typically charge $75 to $200 an hou r. An initial assessment may cost a few hundred dollars, but then the manager can be tapped as needed.