Taking care of an elderly loved one is a big deal. And with the culture of the modern world, it’s often hard to find that balance between keeping your own life in order, and finding the right choice of living situation for the people who care about who may need extra attention.
So, the smart thing is talking about this situation early with people as they get into retirement and twilight years, and getting their input and feelings about different options as well. Five of these choices might include companion care, nursing homes or assisted living, moving them in with you, going on bucket list adventures, and using your extended family as a resource.
Companion Care
One of the better options with elderly loved ones is companion care. There are companies that specialize in various forms of this, where certified staff come in just to be social and help out around the place with basic activities. It’s largely non-medical, and is much more about social interaction to keep people active mentally and emotionally in their lives instead of being alone for long periods of time.
Nursing Homes and Assisted Living
Assisted living is the next step further as far as taking care of loved ones goes. It’s often more expensive, but you’ll know that both non-medical and medical details are being taken care of very professionally. A search of assisted living facilities will give you locations of nearest places as well as finding out what kinds of reviews various people have had over the years. Interviewing the staff isn’t a bad idea in these cases as well, because there’s lots of personality meshes that need to happen in this type of environment.
Moving Them In With You
It’s always an option to have parents move in with you as well. This will represent a huge shift in lifestyle in many cases, but closer families often find that this is a great way for people to reconnect with each other in a tight living situation like this. One way this comes in really handy for everyone is if there are grandchildren involved – not having to worry about childcare or babysitting is a huge advantage! This is a good way for families to exchange efforts for the wellbeing of members down the generations.
Bucket List Adventures
Another way to approach twilight year situations is to look at your elderly loved one’s bucket list, and go from there. Find out if they want to travel, or see or do things, and then find out ways to make it happen. This sort of attention can take away a lot of the stress of the living situation because it creates a separate type of goal.
Group Family Efforts
You can also talk to your family about collectively taking care of your parents. Assuming you have a few siblings or other extended family members that are good with this, it’s a great way to share responsibility for an important cycle of family life.
