When a parent or elderly relative moves into the home or needs assistance with daily living, it can create some major changes in everyone’s lives. However, this person is a trusted and beloved member of the family, and you want to offer the best possible assistance. Here are some helpful tips for providing home care assistance to the elderly, which you may find useful.
Don’t Make This Decision in Haste
If you are thinking about moving a parent or elderly loved one into your home, have an honest discussion with the senior. Make sure you know exactly what this person needs and expects. You also need to communicate to the senior, your needs and expectations. This way, you are less likely to have surprises which can lead to frequent conflicts.
Plan for the Future
Does your loved one have Alzheimer’s or a condition likely to gradually deteriorate over the next few years? If this is the case, you may need to have power of attorney someday, and you should discuss a living will. The time to make these decisions is now, before things get worse.
Determine How Much Home Care Assistance is Needed
Perhaps a parent is recently widowed and is moving in for companionship. This person may not require supervision or a great deal of assistance at present. However, with seniors, health conditions can literally change overnight, so you need to have a contingency plan in place, in case you need to provide a great deal more home care assistance.
Is it the Right Time to Move In?
How well do you get along with this person? In some cases, it may be better for a loved one to move into an assisted living facility or pay for the services of home care assistance professionals. These services can come to the home on a regular basis and provide many different types of assistance. For example, maybe a senior would like to have someone to talk to during the daytime or evening hours. You and your family may have busy schedules and this person may benefit from companionship services.
If your loved one wants to stay in his or her home, maybe this is possible for several more years. You can help with these strategies:
- Make the bathroom “user friendly” with grab bars in the shower, tub, and by the toilet.
- Provide a special alarm which can be worn all the time.
- Go through the house and remove accident hazards like throw rugs and extension cords.
- Make sure there is adequate lighting in the home.
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