How to Prepare When Your Senior Loved One Moves In

Our parents are not getting any younger. If you haven’t started planning how you’re going to take care of them, it’s about time you do. Aging is inevitable. The earlier you prepare for your parents’ twilight years, the better. There are only a few options for elder care. Your parents and loved ones can either choose from living independently, moving into a nursing home, or moving in with a relative. Each of these options has their own pros and cons. For a while, your loved one can choose to remain on their own, but how long until you start to worry about their safety? You might even consider moving them to a home, but how can you be sure about the quality of care that they get? Home accessibility improvements such as an EZ access ramp or stairlifts are key for helping them maintain their independence and happiness as well as yours.

You might end up going for the last option and having them move back in with you. This kind of role reversal can be a meaningful time for you and your parents or loved ones. However, it can be challenging to ensure that you are able to provide them with everything they need if you don’t know where to start.

Transitioning to this new set-up with your parents or loved ones can be easy if you know what you should get ready for. Depending on your parent’s health and the level of care they need, there are various things you have to consider before getting them to live with you. You also have to anticipate their future needs once their health starts deteriorating. For many people, one of the first things to consider is a stairlift for the home or an EZ Access ramp for wheelchair accessibility.

So how can you prepare for this new chapter of your lives? Read on to find out.

First things first

In order to start planning, you need to discuss with your parents and other people involved first. Together, you should all decide on the best plan of action to take for your parents or loved ones. This decision has emotional, psychological, and financial consequences, so it will help to weigh all your options carefully and move forward with your planning.

Ask your senior loved one if they have anything in mind, and see whether this is a viable option. Determine the potential impact of this choice and the kind of issues that will come up because of it. If you want to bring up the option of having them move in with you, ask your spouse and children how willing they are and if they are capable of adjusting to the situation.

There are so many things to consider before getting them to move in. You have to answer important questions. Is your home environment safe for them? Can you handle the lifestyle changes? Will you require some type of help with elder care? These need to be addressed before you decide if you can get your parents or loved ones to live with you.

Money talks

Another important consideration that you need to discuss is the cost of having your parents or loved ones live with you. Do you have enough financial resources to care for your parents? These costs also depend on the kind of care they need. If you need to hire a caregiver to help you or make some changes to your home to make it safer for them, it will obviously cost more.

You can secure money for their care from different resources. You have their health insurance and social security to start with. Your parents can also have retirement savings as well as the life insurance of their deceased spouse. If they’ve decided to sell their home so they can move in with you, you can use the proceeds from the sale for their care as well.

Given all these possible resources, it’s likely that you will still have to dip into your own funds or savings to care for your parents or loved ones. If you still have the chance, it’s best to start saving for it early. It will save you from stress and ease the burden of having to care for them, making the situation less challenging than you expect. Things such as an ez access ramp or stairlifts are crucial to be of high quality but also affordable to the people who need them. Western Stairlifts helps our customers find that sweet spot between budget and function.

EZ Access Ramp for Home Mobility

Once you’ve decided that the best option is for your parents or loved ones to move in with you, it’s time to make the necessary adjustments. You need to determine what kind of help you need to care for them. This depends on their state of health. You can get a caregiver or sign them up at a community center that provides daytime activities for senior adults. Also, don’t underestimate the kind of support that your family and friends can provide.

Preparing yourself and your family mentally and emotionally for this big move is important. Make sure everyone understands the need for this, and to ensure that everyone will provide support in the best way they can. You will all have to lean on one another, so look out for each other. It can be easy if everyone’s on board and in the right frame of mind to care for your parent or loved one.

Getting your house ready for your parents moving in is essential. Check how manageable it will be for them to move around the home. Make sure it’s easy for them to access the living room, the bathroom, and the kitchen. Consider adding handrails to the bathroom or setting up a sit-down shower. If possible, get them a room on the first floor, especially if they have trouble climbing up and down stairs.

If you need to make accessibility adjustments for your parents or loved ones, we’re here to help. We can install stair lifts, vertical lifts, or EZ access ramps to make everything easier for them. We offer free home evaluations and will happily help you choose from our mobility aids. If you want to learn more, you may contact Western Stairlifts at (801-386-2408)