You love your parents, but as they age, you need to consider what you need to do to care for them. There are a variety of options for senior care out there, but you need to consider whether their plans are viable options for the maintenance of their health and safety.
While they may insist that they can take care of themselves, the reality is that they will need some help and need people who could help them when you’re not there. There are several options available that can help ease your mind on their condition.
Independent Living
While it may seem careless, many older people are still able to take care of themselves. Allowing them to live by themselves is often a good idea. This makes them feel that they can live on their own. Your parents still have their sense of pride so they will want to be able to live without your help. As long as they are fit and still mentally capable, they should still be able to live with no problem.
However, you still need to ensure that they are doing fine. The best way to do this is by checking on them regularly. This allows you to know whether they are in good condition or not. It would be best if you also consider making modifications to their home. These changes include adding grab bars and modifying their bathroom to be safer.
Hire A Caregiver
If you want to be sure about the condition of your elderly parent, you can hire an in-home caregiver. This will be necessary if your parent starts suffering from a long-term illness. They might also be necessary for those that are old. Caregivers will provide your parent with 24/7 care while also still leaving them independent.
Hiring a caregiver can be intimidating if you haven’t hired one before. But there are several things that you have to do t ensure you get a good one. For one, if possible, you should hire through an agency. Agencies do all the heavy lifting for you and usually have the best possible rates. But even when hiring with an agency, you’ll want to meet with the caregiver first to see whether they can be a good fit for your parent. Ask the agency about their experience and training. If possible, you should start with a trial period for them, which allows you to see whether they and your parent will be able to work together.
Bring Them To Live With You
Another option for long-term care is to bring them into your own home. This is several pros and cons to this. Bringing your parents home can save you a lot of money since you will be bearing the burden of their care. It can also allow you and your parent to rekindle your relationship.
But it is not going to be easy. Having your parents in your home does not mean that you have a free babysitter. You need to ensure that they are in good health, and this is a full-time job. Taking care of your parent will require a lot of effort. It would help if you also were prepping your home to handle the presence of your parent. This might mean added rooms and some accessibility modifications. To make it a bit easier, you should consider a day-only caregiver.
Take Them To A Home
Bringing your parent to a nursing home sounds like the worst option, but it does have its advantages. It all depends on the retirement home that you bring them to. Some places can be very good while others are not great places. Before you take them to one, it is best to ask for recommendations and even do actual visits to the nursing home. You should also talk with the staff to see what kind of care they can offer.
The best thing about nursing homes is that it gives your parent a chance to socialize. Suppose they stay at home, whether yours or theirs, they will likely only have limited contact with people. Nursing homes are better with this since it is a communal living situation. This can be much better for them since they will have friends to share their days.
Time can be a difficult enemy to fight. But taking care of your parents in their old age is a worthy cause. Their physical and mental well-being should be your priority. Learning how to balance their need to feel independent with your wish to see that they are well can be difficult, but sitting down with them and discussing the available options should help clear things up. It is always a good idea to do this so that your loved one has input on how they would spend the rest of their lives in comfort.
