How To Help Your Parents With Their Senior Housing Decision
Nobody takes a cookie cutter approach to life. Some people choose to go to college, some don’t. Some people choose to stay close to family; some move far away. Why should the decision of how your parents live during their senior years be any different?
Some parents make the decision early in life, and may even move to different locations and types of housing throughout their lives. Still others may stay in one home from their early 20’s through the final years. It’s all a personal choice. Yet when the time comes to make some changes, there is bound to be some disagreement. Its hard for a parent to accept they may not be able to live on their own like they used to, especially when its coming from their own children.
Usually there are two reasons you start down the path of making a change.
1. Your parent ended up in the hospital, and can’t live on his or her own.
2. You’ve begun noticing changes in his or her behavior, and realize he/she can’t be trusted on their own.
The first choice is the easiest; it’s completely out of your hands, doctor ordered, and you have full support behind the decision.
The second choice is more difficult. You may see the changes, and realize the danger involved with leaving him or her alone. But does he/she?
Instead of trying to sort through the information on your own, reach out to the community. You have many options: caregiving yourself, hiring an in home caregiver, use adult day care facilities, assisted living and full time care. What are you ready for? What do you need?
Because you’re probably new to this path, find out as much information as you can. Don’t make instant decisions; try things out to discover what works best for you. Your parents may accept a couple of hours of in home care while you are at work, will weekend visits and care from you. Work into a routine, and take ideas from those around you.
And most of all, don’t get overwhelmed. Take care of yourself too, and you’ll be more successful in your new endeavor.
