Trying to decide the best course of action for caring for an elderly loved one can be emotionally stressful. In most cases, the whole family will get involved and have their own opinions as to what should be done. Before meeting with everyone, take some time to consider the options. Can your loved one be safe at home with a caregiver? Do they require special medical treatments? How would they, and you, benefit from being in an elderly living community? Here are some things to think about.
Daily Care
If your loved one needs help with simple tasks like bathing, getting dressed, preparing meals, and taking medications, someone is going to need to be around to help them. Of course, if they have trouble with these tasks, doing normal household chores will probably be too much for them too. If these are the only issues, it would be possible to hire an aide to go to the house and help out. They can take care of hygiene and dressing issues as well as clean the house and prepare meals. However, if an aide is needed around the clock, it may be better to have them move to an assisted living facility.
Socialization
Sitting around in a house alone or with an aide, all the time is no fun for anyone. The elderly thrive more when they have people in their own age group to socialize with. A senior community offers classes, games, and social fun for people of that age. They may also offer outings for the residents to get out and have some fun.
Health Issues
You may be able to give your parent a pill, take their vitals, and change some bandages, but what about more intense medical treatments? When the scope of their health issues requires treatments you cannot perform, a professional is needed. It is possible to have a visiting nurse come to the house regularly to take care of things, but if it is more than just a few times a week or the treatment requires constant monitoring, it is best to have them live somewhere they can be properly cared for.
Of course, you and the other family members must be taken into consideration. Do you have the time to properly care for your loved one? A schedule where everyone takes turns may seem like a good idea, but these things often go awry when life happens. Everyone in the family deserves to live their life. An elderly living facility allows you to have your life and your loved one to have theirs too.
Share10 January 2023
Are you planning a surgery that requires extended care beyond the hospital? Do you know who will be providing the care for you as you recover? My mother recently had a total knee replacement surgery and we had to scurry to find the nursing home that would provide her the care during the weeks after the surgery. We had never looked into nursing homes prior to this, and had no idea what we had to consider. It took a little while for me to learn what I needed to know to help her choose the care facility that could help rehabilitate her during those awful weeks. Visit my website to learn what I had found to be most helpful when choosing the care home for my mother.
