There are very few people that ask to go into a care home. Most elderly parents say that they don’t want to go into a care facility and they beg you not to send them there. The thing is, you agree: you don't want to send them into a care home and so you do what you can to make sure that a care facility is not an option.
Your other choice is to bring your elderly parent to your home and have them move in with you. It’s not the right solution for everyone, but it’s an excellent temporary solution for those who need an answer and have already started installing a stair lift in the home! There are some steps that you can take, though, to make this the best possible choice for you. Below, you’ll find five top tips for keeping your aging parent at home with you.
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The first thing to do is understand exactly what care is needed. Some of the elderly parents out there have no choice but to go into a facility because of the level of care required to keep them comfortable. You need to know exactly what your parent needs, from the basics in hygiene to the help that they need adapting the home. Their care needs are important, and if you can’t meet these, you need to have a rethink.
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Be realistic about what you can offer. You may not be able to offer the same level of care as a care facility, and that’s okay - you can only do what you can. You need to decide how much time you can offer to your parents and whether you are capable of the level of hygiene care they need.
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Get some help with caring at home if you need to. There are plenty of services that will send nurses to manage the hygiene care and the medications, and there are also services that will help with food deliveries, too! There are day centres for the elderly, too, so they can interact with others in the day when you're at work.
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Make sure that you are not alone with this decision. Even if you don't have siblings, speak to friends and colleagues about this. Call the doctor and ask for a referral to a therapist so that you can discuss the future with them and get your elderly parent in the right place for care.
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Work out your finances before you offer to selfless. You need to make sure that you’re not placing a financial burden on your own family. You have to be able to reduce your caregiving costs as much as possible and decrease your stress, not increase it. Make sure that you look into government grants for your home adaptations and any personal care nurses.
Looking after your parents is admirable, and it can be done with careful thought and planning. Don’t burn yourself out doing this, and share the load and you’ll be able to keep your parents with you.
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