Moving Senior Parents Into Your Home

Moving Senior Parents Into Your HomeOne time, you will find that your aging senior parents finding it tough to live alone. You will be considering moving senior parents into your own house. Sometimes the case may be that you are considering living with senior parents as a way of reducing the caretaker stress and traveling. You might feel that this is a cost-effective way of senior accommodation. However, the truth is that there is a lot more involved in arriving at this decision. Before placing the senior’s home onto the market for sale and hiring movers take into account some of these factors.

1. You may need home renovations before moving your senior parents: If you are contemplating moving your senior parent out of his or her home due to the different risks involved in living alone such as falling and other security or safety risks you need to consider if your own home is a safer alternative? You might be required to renovate your house for handling their access such as widening the doors. You may be required to modify your bathroom to install grab bars and step-free shower, add seat lifts in the living rooms and add handrails to your staircases. You will also need to make sure that flooring is not uneven and there are no torn carpets that present falling possibilities. You can consider adding motion sensor lights or smart lighting to make sure that your loved ones do not trip over in unfamiliar surroundings. Think about a space for the aging loved one that includes a private sitting room that can be used for spending time alone.

2. Household expenses are likely to rise: Keep in mind that out-of-pocket caretaking expenses are a lot and can mount to $5000 per year in case you have a parent living with you. This includes household goods, food, personal hygiene articles, prescribed medicine, transportation, and other medical expenses. You might be required to hire the help of a home health aide when you are working full time and if the parent requires round-the-clock caretaking. Even when your loved one is paying for some of their expenditure you are still going to have an additional mouth to feed and an extra person in the house that will use electricity and water.

3. Loss of privacy and house rules: If you get an aging parent to move into your house, it is likely to place strain on your relationship with your spouse and kids. Many times, you are used to certain family routines and you may be required to find methods for incorporating your parent in them. Significantly, you have to set boundaries and try and be honest about everyone’s desire for space and privacy. When you are moving your senior parents with an adult child, they are going to feel a loss of autonomy and independence. Significantly, you should do not make your parents feel like some of your children. However, you must set rules and boundaries for both parties that can be agreed upon before senior parents moving. You need to ensure that both your spouse and parents are willing to make compromises and make the arrangements work.

4. Availability of local services: Your senior parent might struggle to get acclimatized to the new living arrangements and area. You need to assist them by helping them with locating local banks, pharmacies, recreation centers, faith communities, and other such services. In case your parent is interested in some daytime activities you can go to a senior center close by for more info on programs and classes. In case the parent needs a lot of intensive care you need to assess some of the adult daycare centers that provide meals, rehab, therapeutic, and counseling activities. In case you are providing full-time care from your home opt for a companion or respite services that will provide a break and also help in expanding their social circle.

You need to approach the senior parent moving with an optimistic outlook and set ground rules that will make this multi-generational living arrangement a successful one. Even then there will come a time when you can no longer take care of the aging parent from your home. Before the actual senior parent moving sit together and talk openly about the day when it arrives. If you need any professional help for moving in the Chicago, Franklin Park, Bloomingdale, IL area, you can opt for the reliable services of 2 Guys And A Van.

Picture Credit: Freepik