Nanny to Mommy

There are a variety of different senior living arrangements to choose from. Research shows that the majority of senior citizens prefer to remain living in their own home, which is known as aging in place. However, not every senior is a good candidate for successful aging in place— even if this is what your aging parents want.

Fortunately, there are many other options, but you should always strive to choose the best option for your aging parents. From Las Vegas assisted living facilities to aging in place options, here’s a list of the most common senior living arrangements and how you and your family can determine the right choice for your aging parents.

It’s natural to worry about your parents as they age, especially if you have only one living parent. With your parent living alone, there’s a risk for accidents and social isolation, so it’s understandable if you’d feel more comfortable moving them in with you. This gives you peace of mind as a caregiver, and this gives grandparents and grandchildren the opportunity to bond.

Keep in mind that this can also be a stressful responsibility to take on and that caring for aging parents is an extremely difficult task, especially if you have your own children to care for. This is often why people seek out alternative care methods to help take some of the weight off their shoulders.

If you find that this is the only option (your parent’s home isn’t safe for them to live in alone and a nursing home is out of the question), there are services available to help you with this new responsibility. In-home caregiving services help provide short breaks, while respite care offers a longer break period. There are also adult day programs where your aging parent can participate in art, celebrations, group discussions, outings, and physical activity.

Nursing homes have gotten a bad reputation for the abuse and neglect of patients. Unfortunately, many seniors have been victims of medication errors, bed sores, fractures and broken bones, and even death due to the poor quality and care of nursing homes in the U.S. For this reason, many seniors do not want to be placed in nursing homes.

However, it must be noted that assisted living in Arlington are still the best options for those who cannot care for themselves (or have someone that can care for them effectively) and this lack of care results in them being a danger to themselves.

The best example would be if your aging parent suffers from a form of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease. If this is the case, then long term care in Yakima might be the best living arrangement— just be sure to do your research and choose a high-quality nursing home.

As mentioned earlier, this is the option that most seniors prefer— but they must be able to remain in their own homes safely and comfortably. If your aging parent is in decent health and able to take care of themselves effectively, then they’re a pretty good candidate for aging in place. If you want additional reassurance that your parents are safe, you could look into medical alert systems canada, or closer to you. Medical alert systems allow your parents the reassurance that medical help is always accessible, without losing their independence.

The next step is to make sure that their home is safe for them to live in alone. This may require some home improvements and minor renovations, such as:

- Walk-in showers/bathtubs and/or grab bars and slip-resistant strips

- Widening doorways and adding ramps for wheelchairs

- Installing a stair lift or residential elevator in multi-story homes

- Keeping the home free of fall hazards, including extremely hard and extremely soft flooring

Another major key to successful aging in place is social interaction. Living alone increases a senior’s risk for social isolation, so make sure that your aging parent has visitors often and that they’re active in their community. In-home caregiving and adult day programs are also great resources for this living arrangement.

Retirement homes are often confused with nursing homes, but the two are very different. Retirement homes more closely resemble actual residential settings, whereas nursing homes are more of a clinical setting. If aging in place isn’t the best option for your aging parent, nor is moving in with you or moving into a nursing home, then a retirement home may be the best option.

Boca Raton's leading senior living community or one near you can provide activities, assisted living, medical treatment, and recreation. Your aging parent will also be surrounded by other seniors.