Choosing the right senior care option for a parent or loved one can be tricky. On one hand, care requirements need to be considered, while on the other, the cost is a major concern as well. If you’re at a loss about making this decision for your senior loved one, here are some questions and helpful answers that can help you choose the right care option.
Is an Independent Living Community or Assisted Living a Better Fit? It makes sense to want to provide your parent or loved one with care in your own home. Before you make such a major commitment, though, you need to decide if assisted living is a more feasible option. If you’re juggling a lot of other responsibilities, if your loved one is suffering from a serious condition like Alzheimer’s, or if you cannot afford in-home help to provide care, you may want to consider transitioning your loved one to assisted living instead. You can give yourself some peace of mind by remaining vigilant in the search for the right community. Here in Jacksonville, there are numerous assisted living facilities you can tour, which are typically set up like apartments to allow seniors to retain some autonomy while receiving the care and help they need for improved quality of life. Many of the local facilities offer amenities such as easy access to transportation, beautician services on the premises, and pet-friendly units. You should also understand the differences between nursing homes and assisted living, especially if your loved one needs more dedicated help and also needs access to medical care.
Can You Modify Your Home to Provide Care and Safety for Your Loved One?
If you are determined to bring your parent or loved one into your home care, start by taking a good look around for potential hazards. For most seniors, this means checking for fall risks, such as loose rugs and slippery surfaces in bathroom or clutter that is impeding walkways. If your loved one is dealing with Alzheimer’s or dementia, you have to be aware of other household safety hazards as well. Seniors with dementia can be more prone to burns, cuts, and even overdoses with medications, so be sure your loved one does not have free access to anything that could cause harm. Modifying your home for increased safety is crucial when you intend to become a family caregiver, but you can also add senior-friendly features to increase comfort. Smart home products can make home life less complicated for seniors and family caregivers alike and can include smart lighting or security systems. Try to track the costs of senior home modifications so you can better balance your caregiver budget.
Would a New Home Make More Sense for Providing Care to Your Senior?
Knowing the average cost of senior home modifications can serve you in two ways: You get a better idea of your budget, and you can decide if buying a new home would be less expensive. The latter may be true if your current home has a lot of stairs that would need to be converted, or if you don’t have enough room to allow your loved one to comfortably live with you. Whatever your reasons for opting for a new home, you can take the same steps to make the process easier. For example, you could hire a senior real estate agent who will have experience looking for accessible homes and dealing with any senior-related finance concerns. Since buying a new home can be an expensive undertaking, you may also want to research financial assistance, such as benefits from long-term care insurance, which can help offset the burden of becoming a family caretaker and make paying for additional living expenses more manageable.
Deciding how to best provide care for a senior loved one can be difficult. Each care and home option comes with its own ups and downs, but staying objective when making this choice can benefit both seniors and their caregivers. Think about each option from a financial and care perspective, while allowing yourself to process emotions as they come.
Article courtesy of Harry Cline, newcaregiver.org .
Photo Credit: Unsplash
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