We all have grown-up by seeing our parents strong, secure, wiser, and more experienced than us. Though we know life is changeable, somehow, in our minds, we have a strong belief that our parents will always be invincible and remain as our shield. So, after a certain age, when their health starts to decline more and more, we are in denial about the fact that their fitness and strength will not be the same again.
However, you have to prepare yourself with the reality as your parents now need extra concern and attention like you used to require in childhood. On the other hand, when one parent passed away, the other struggles with solitude and sorrow. Therefore, you should take proper steps so they can get essential care and easily adjust to the change in their physical and mental health.
Take a look at your finances.
Keep in mind that many of the expenses you are currently paying can be rolled into that amount. For instance, fees that you currently pay like utility bills, property taxes, and food expenses will usually be included in your care cost.
Find out if your insurance plan covers long-term care. If you are a veteran or a surviving spouse, you may qualify for Aid and Attendance benefits.
Research your options online.
Spend some time searching for communities that offer senior living in the location where you want to live. You should be able to find a lot of information about the available conveniences and services on each facility’s website. You can also usually find many great tips on managing the aging process and providing caregiver support on the sites, which may be useful. Write down a list of some of your favorite communities so that you can learn more about them or visit them in person.
Various Forms of Assistance
1. Your Home
Nothing can be the best for your older parents than your home, care, and attention. But keep in mind that when your parent is under your care, converse with the other family members and take their consent. As if they do not happily accept your parent’s presence, their cold behavior may affect the senior’s mental health.
2. Assisted Living
When your parents have health challenges, need extra care, but do not require constant medical attention, assisted living is an excellent choice. By living in their own apartments, seniors share meals and participate in daily activities with other residents. These kinds of community services usually support the seniors in daily tasks like transportation, housekeeping, laundry, medication, and bathing, dressing if needed.
3. Memory Care
Seniors who have dementia need specially trained staffs who handle the unique behavior changes that come with memory loss. As elders experiencing memory loss can easily get lost. Therefore, memory care communities will provide all the facilities assisted living gives with your loved one’s safety.
4. Nursing Home
If your parents have a complex medical condition or require high-level medical care, then a nursing home is a wise choice. Here, licensed nurses will provide them continuous care and supervision.
5. In-Home Care
If your parents feel comfortable staying in their home, take service from in-home personal care. By taking this service, parents will get 24-hour supervision and a company in their daily activities. Take the service from a reputable company and test out employees’ experience before appointing.
Check Before Taking The Service.
If you find a community you are interested in, check reputable online sites like senioradvisor.com, caring.com to read reviews from other people. This can provide you with greater insight into what each community is really like.
Look communities up on social media. Most modern retirement communities will have a Facebook page. Check the page to view photos, read posts from other residents, and learn more about what each community offers.
Consult with Experienced People.
By talking to people, you may find a good retirement community for your parents. Before making the decision, you should consult with the people who have taken these types of services for their parents. You can also converse with your doctor or someone else you trust, like a priest or clergy member. Reach out to everyone that you know to get ideas and information.
Begin contacting communities.
After you create a list of communities, start reaching out to them either by phone or via email. List your queries before contacting them. These initial calls can help whittle down your list even further, allowing you to identify which communities you want to see in person.
Examine the Communities by Yourself.
Visiting a retirement community in person is one of the best ways to learn more about it. During your visit, pay attention to the interactions between staff members and residents.
Also, test out the following thing:
- How does the community feel?
- Do the seniors look happy and engaged, or quiet and isolated?
- Are there visible assistive tools like grab bars in handrails?
- Is the facility itself clean and well-maintained?
- Does the decor look fresh and modern? Would you be happy living there?
- When you show up, do the staff members go out of their way to make you feel welcome?
Think about bringing someone on your visit to have a second pair of eyes to help you observe the community. You can compare notes with each other after your visit.
Facing any new phase of life is scary. For seniors, this is the scariest. They are experiencing feelings of loss, dependency, and uncertainty at the same time. Many of them are grieving the loss of a spouse. So, before deciding, consult with them as much as possible. Don’t belittle their concerns, fears, or their feelings of sadness, loss, and anxiety. Be sensitive, patient, and supportive.
