Choosing the Best Living Arrangement For Your Senior Parent
Many seniors require additional assistance with everyday activities as they get older. These responsibilities are often left to the adult children. An adult child becomes the sole caretaker and decision maker for their elderly parent. One of the biggest decisions that they may make for their elderly parent is their living arrangements. When seniors require additional care, they are often forced to live in a nursing home setting. This is the case, even when a large percentage of seniors would prefer to live at home. How can an adult child provide the safety and security that their parent needs, while allowing them to remain in the comfort of their own home?
Set up a care routine with other sibling and family members. If possible, setting up a care routine with other family members can take some of the burden off of the sole adult child caretaker. It is likely that the adult child also has their own other responsibilities, making it near impossible to care for their parent all hours of the day and night. If there are enough family members who are willing to help, this can be a positive solution.
Hire a home assistance company. Assistance at home companies have long ago realized the desire for seniors to remain in their own homes. People can now hire companies to come to the senior?s home to provide the care and assistance that they require. Most of the caregivers for seniors are experienced, compassionate, and qualified in their work. Some of them may even be licensed nurses, doctors, and other medical professionals.
Home health agencies have become so popular that they are one of the leading choices of care for seniors. Annually 8,357,100 people receive support from the 5 main long term care service, home health agencies (4,742,500), nursing homes (1,383,700), hospices (1,244,500), residential care communities (713,300), and adult day service centers (273,200). Most of the home health agencies encompass both day time or full time services.
Engage your parent in a variety of activities. Many seniors find benefit and enjoyment in exterior activities. Although many nursing homes and senior living homes offer these types of activities to their residents, there are also activities available for those who choose to live in their own homes. Caregivers for seniors in a help at home services company can provide transportation to these activities. Some of the activities include things like Bingo, crafting, music and singing lessons, religious activities, charitable events, and group outings.
Create an extensive assistance routine. Some families may not be able to afford, or may not want to leave their elderly parent in the care of strangers all the time. Most home assistance companies, however, allow you to make a schedule that works for you and the family. If the adult child wants to be responsible for specific days, hours, or tasks, they can arrange this with the homecare company. The homecare company is there to fill in any needed elder care gaps. This is often the option that works best for families.
More and more seniors are choosing to remain in their own homes. There are so many options available for homecare that it just seems like the best option. Although an estimated 12 million Americans needed long term care in 2007, many remained in their own homes. As of February of 2015, the vast majority, 80% of elderly people receiving assistance, including many with several functional limitations, live in private homes in the community, not in institutions. This is likely to be the trend for many years to come.
In the past, seniors were required to live in nursing home settings if they required any additional assistance. Family members generally do not have the time to spend every waking minute caring for their elderly parent. However, caregivers for seniors are available in a home assistance setting. The caregivers for seniors can provide all types of assistance to seniors, often working with the adult child on a schedule and a care plan that works for everyone. Home care companies are available at all hours of the day, even providing overnight care too.
