Contents
How to Help the Elderly
Aah, this is such an important contributed post to read if your parents are nearing the age where they are no longer able to take care of themselves.
What Are The Options When An Elderly Loved One Needs Help?
Parenting never stops because you can’t help but think about the people you have brought into the world. It’s an occupational hazard of being a mom. But, it isn’t just the kids who parents worry about on a constant basis.
As our Moms and Dads age, they need help too, and you can’t turn them down in their time of need. Let’s face it – they did everything for you and now it’s time to return the favor. Still, putting elderly loved ones first and doing the right thing aren’t mutually exclusive and that makes the process tricky.
To help lower the burden, here are three options to consider.
Find A Good Home
Always broach this topic lightly because it will get a lot of kickback. However, your mom and dad may not be able to look after one another, and you may not be able to help either. As a result, they need professional care, the kind only found in expert establishments.
An excellent tip is to search for residences which have everything they want and need. For example, homes with apartments are popular because it feels less intrusive.
Consider their health, too, because they may appear fine now, yet hospice care could be essential in a few years time. It’s not nice, but you need to think about it now to avoid any mistakes.
Ask Them To Move In
Parents who need help never let their kids know they want to move in, but it’s better than the alternative. The majority of old people hate the idea of going into a home and losing their independence so would much rather live with their children. And, you might want them to move in if the idea of a nursing home doesn’t appeal.
The only sticking points are time and space.
Firstly, do you have the time to take care of kids and your parents at the same time?
Secondly, is there enough room for everyone to live comfortably?
Only when both answers are yes should you extend an invite. Otherwise, an alternative will be necessary.
Pay For Assisted Living
Everyone wants to stay on their property regardless of age or their physical health. The good news is that is possible depending on your finances and the health of your parents.
To begin with, you need to be able to afford a carer to drop by on a daily basis and complete rudimentary tasks such as cleaning and cooking. This way, your loved ones can remain in their residence and you don’t have to worry about their well-being constantly.
Secondly, the people in question need to be able to look after themselves in between. Otherwise, they may be in danger when you or the carer isn’t around.
These are the three main options available, yet there are plenty more.
However, the one you choose isn’t as vital as the way you handle the topic.
Parents who have been independent for years won’t find the transition easy, and you need to be wary of this. Only when they are comfy will they go willingly.
It’s so true that loss of independence is felt heavily by the elderly. The loss my Dad felt the most was no longer being able to drive. We were very grateful to my Dad’s Doctor for being the one who broke the news to him.
My brothers and I were very fortunate when it came to these difficult decisions as mostly they were out of our hands. Our parents never wanted to become a burden to us and so they put their names down on the waiting list at retirement village years ago, making sure that it had Frail Care facilities should they require it. Their apartment became available at the exact time they needed it, when my Dad was diagnosed with Lewy Body Disease and he was able to move into Frail Care just at the right time too.
