Your parents likely gave you a great deal in life. It’s only fair that you return the favour later on in theirs.
So, when we say ‘older parents’, we know your parents are older than you – we’re referring to the time in their life when they’re enjoying their twilight years.
That said, there can be some challenges to overcome here. While many adult children move back in with their parents due to economic hardship, warm welcomes can be hard to find when the roles are reversed in some ways. It can be a shame.
Of course, it’s not always the adult children’s fault. They may have limited time and resources to spend welcoming their parents home. Other circumstances can make a move impossible, too, and a care home facility is required.
So, how can you know where you stand here? Read on for some indicators to help you assess these situations better.
Does Your Parent Need Constant Monitoring?
You’re an adult with your own life and can’t always be around to check your older parent’s well-being. Overnight monitoring is especially taxing and not really feasible long-term.
If your older parent keeps falling out of bed, it’s likely best to enjoy the hospitality of a care home instead. These facilities often have great equipment to prevent these nasty tumbles. Remember, falls can be more consequential later in life, so these services do more than just prevent a scraped knee.
Take these bed bumpers from NHC, a trusted supplier to many care home facilities. These products protect from rolling and subsequent accidental falls in the user’s sleep. There’s a range of high-quality products to choose from here, including slings, hoists, and mattresses too. A better night’s sleep can be assured this way in terms of immediate safety and long-term well-being. After all, a good night’s sleep can have many health benefits, from boosting moods to improving energy levels.
Can Furniture Be Rearranged?
Making more space is a principle that should be applied across the entirety of your property rather than just the bedroom. Moving the furniture around is a big part of that process.
Try to place as much furniture as possible against your walls. That way, the breadth of each room can be better appreciated, and there’ll also be fewer things to trip on. The space will feel less crowded, and parents may be able to get around not just without incident but more confidently and independently too.
Still, some property layouts can make this effort almost pointless. If your home is on the smaller side yet full of essential stuff, there may be no feasible way to create room for easier navigation. In those situations, it’s important to recognise defeat and perhaps consider using a care home instead.
If Your Parent Prone to Scams?
Some older people can be susceptible to scams. While you may not be able to trust them to live independently under this barrage of negative influence, you may be able to look after them should you move them into your home. A care home may not be necessary.
That means you may need to minimise disruption caused by your front door. Placing a few signs discouraging the presence of cold callers can be a good idea. A ‘beware the dog’ sign might also be advantageous and ward off riff-raff, even if you don’t have a dog.
An intercom system might be more convenient for your older parent to screen their correspondence. That way, they can converse with the person at the door, and if it’s not someone they know, they can hang up and refuse entry. You can’t always be around to screen every visitor yourself, but tech can always be helpful!
They could even have a remote feed to a camera at the front door too. That way, they can doubly ensure people are who they say they are and turn people away if they don’t like the look of them. It may just help them feel safer.
Can Better Mobility Access Fix Everything?
Making some modifications to your home can seem radical. You may not be enthusiastic about them from an aesthetic point of view, but they’re necessary from a practical standpoint.
Therefore, you may have to do things like;
- Replace stairs with ramps for wheelchair access or just to mitigate trip hazards.
- Installing handrails in all bathrooms and toilets.
- Incorporating a stairlift for easier traversal between upstairs and downstairs.
How can you afford all of these changes? The local authority may fund a grant for suitable home adjustments, though there can be some trouble here in the form of delays in certain situations. There’s also your parents’ health insurance and life savings, your savings, or any funds they may have accrued from selling their property.
While you can modify your home to a point, it usually only delays the need for a care home rather than replaces it. Still, changes can be worth making anyway if you wish to have more time with your older parent.
