Deciding to move your elderly parent, parents, or a close loved onto into a care home facility is never easy.
For many families, the admission that they can no longer care for their loved one or parent as they once did feels like an admission that they cannot cope, and rightly or wrongly, many people find this to be something they are ashamed of.
What’s Best for You and Them
In truth, there is nothing to be ashamed of, reaching out for help is not only good for you, but it is also good for them.
As we age, our needs will change, and we may not be able to do the things we used to do, and we may need extra care as health declines.
For many families, there comes the point in their lives when it is time to turn the care of their loved one or parent over to professionals and, although this is always a hard decision, rest assured that you are making a choice based on what is best for everyone involved, and your loved one or parent will be in the best place to receive the best care possible in the last few years of their lives.
Get the Right Type of Care
Care homes and nursing homes can cater to different needs, and this is especially important if your parents are suffering from particular health ailments that will make it difficult for them in the coming years.
One of the most common issues facing older adults is the onset of Alzheimer’s and other cognitive decline issues.
Homes like The Auberge at Brookfield are specifically designed to support your elderly parents as they continue to see their health and abilities declining in a dignified way and helps them retain as much independence as possible for as long as possible.
Another consideration is the type of care that your parents will need on a personal level. You may want to continue caring for your elderly parent or parents yourself but assisted living facilities with on-site staff and nursing options may be able to do a better job.
This is something you will need to discuss with your elderly parent as well as the care home you are considering.
The Stress on You
It is no secret that caring for elderly relatives or parents is hard work, and many families feel guilty for even acknowledging that it is hard work, but this does not need to be so.
Care homes understand that families feel a sense of duty to care for their loved ones, and most are very respectful of this bond. It is worth communicating your worries to your care home in question, speak with them about how you are feeling and ask them for their advice.
Some care home options allow residents to go for respite care, like a holiday for your relatives and it’s a good way to give you a break too.
This is a great way to ‘test the water; when it comes to your decision about whether or not to move your elderly parent to a care home full-time, and it will give you the chance to rest knowing that your loved one is being taken good care of in your absence.
Can You Adapt Your Home?
If you are still not sure about moving your elderly parent or loved onto into a home full time, it might be time to consider if your home needs some alterations.
Alterations may include things like widening doorways to allow wheelchair access, creating a wet room area instead of a bathroom, and installing a monitoring system to keep them safe while you’re not around.
The fact is that you cannot be around 24/7 and if you are determined to have them with you in your home or to continue looking after them in their own home, you will need to make sure the environment is safe for them by installing a medical alert system.
Can You Afford A Care Home?
If you are looking at care home options for your elderly parent(s) or loved one, you will need to look at whether or not you can afford it, or whether they can afford it.
Care homes and nursing homes are not cheap, but they might work out better financially given the facilities available on their doorstep and included in the price.
Once you factor in the lost working hours you will miss caring for your elderly parent, the healthcare costs, and the home alterations you will need to invest in, it may be more financially viable to go with a professional home instead.
Finances are difficult to speak about, and it should be that you go for whatever is the cheapest option, you should go for the option that is right for everyone, but the fact of the matter is that finances are something you should be speaking about and before they get to a point where they cannot speak about it anymore.
The Consideration of Privacy
Aside from finances, privacy is possibly one of the biggest reasons to move your elderly parent into a care home facility instead of having them live with you.
This will very much depend on how your family traditionally deals with privacy issues. Some families are very open and liberal, able to speak about sex and bodily functions very openly. Other families will be much more conservative and keep these things like personal issues.
If your family is more on the conservative side and does not usually over-share, you may find it incredibly difficult to care for your elderly parent(s) when their needs become more intimate. Things such as clearing up soiled bedsheets or clothing could prove uncomfortable for you and also for them.
One of the benefits of a care home facility is that your parent(s) dignity is a top priority, and they will be able to maintain their privacy around you, which may be one of the last things they wish to keep hold of.