Often moving in an elderly parent or relative to stay with you & your family can be quite a daunting task since due to nuclear sized families; many families are not able to cope up with it. In today’s post we bring in some tips related to seniors’ care that will help you overcome the transition smoothly. These pointers are generalized in nature and you might have to make modifications as per your requirements. Let us know in case you are facing any issues while implementing them. Our team at The Golden Estate, would try our best to help you & your parents’ to make sure they spend their golden years of life with ease & happily.
Talk about all the issues you can think of before a loved one moves in: Create an atmosphere of mutual respect, and try to come to some compromises that will work for everyone in the family.
Talk about the details in advance so expectations are met.
Let your loved one help around the house: if they want to and are physically able to. Each of us needs to have a sense of self-worth and usefulness. It can be difficult if most or all of the daily tasks are taken over by someone else. Try to strike a balance between elderly care and their involvement in daily chores.
Clearly establish the “house rules” as tactfully as possible, and agree on each person’s responsibilities and limits within the home. Each family has its own identity, and with elder parents moving in, it can often lead to modification in daily lifestyle for a while, even when it’s handled with great care and sensitivity
Work out a budget. Who will pay for what? Don’t assume anything regarding financial responsibility.
Consider your children, if they still live at home. When Grandma and Grandpa move in, it can be a difficult adjustment for kids and teens, so set some boundaries that everyone can live with. Your children need to be considerate of their grandparents, but the grandparents also need to step back and let you discipline your own children when necessary.
Make sure everyone has some privacy. This may mean adding a separate suite to your home, installing an extra bathroom or even just rearranging your home slightly. Even though your parents no longer live in their own home, they’ll still want some space of their own and some private time to themselves.
Figure out what goes where. This may sound obvious, but it can be tricky. Your parents have been surrounded by their own furniture and possessions for many years, but your house is almost certainly not big enough for two sets of furnishings. Perhaps some things can be sold, given to relatives or put into storage.
Encourage your parents to maintain their independence and to stay active. This will benefit their physical and emotional health.
Be patient – it can take a while for rhythms of the household to fine tune after such a big change.
Look into “universal design” and read up on “aging in place” as it relates to making it easier and more convenient for your parents or in laws to live in your home. Wide doorways, elimination of thresholds from room to room, reduction and elimination of falling hazzards, zero incline showers where a wheel chair can be rolled. A first floor bedroom is desirous, if not mandatory.
Add items like grab bars, security poles, non slip mats under throw rugs, ramps, lifts, easy-open door handles, walk-in bathtubs, lighted canes for night time trips to the bathroom, big button phones, personal emergency alert system for when you aren’t home, potty chairs, shower aids, wheel chairs, transport chairs and walkers. Items to help protect a loved one that has dementia such as exit alarms.
