What to Consider Before an Aging Parent Moves In

There may come a time when your parent’s condition makes it difficult to live alone. Assisted living and nursing facilities may be too expensive for families, making live-in care a viable option. Inviting your parent to live in your home may seem like the best solution; however, it’s a big lifestyle change and there are a number of things to take into consideration to ensure both parties remain happy and healthy.

5 Things to Consider Before an Aging Parent Moves In

Here are a few aspects to consider and questions to ask yourself before making the move:

1. Time

If your career requires you to work outside of the home, will there be a need for daytime care or supervision?
How much total time will your parent require and are you available to provide that care?
How will you juggle the duties of work and care in the home? If your parent is often awake during the night, how will this impact your sleep schedule?
Having personal time is important for the health and well-being of caregivers. Will you have enough time to care for yourself?

2. Money

Do you have the appropriate finances to provide full-time or part-time care for your parent?
If you’re providing full-time care for your parent, will you be compensated in any way?
If your work schedule will be affected, will it impact your ability to pay for bills?
Does your parent’s long-term care insurance cover in-home services (respite care for the caregiver)

3. Personal Life & Relationships

How will the living situation affect your relationship with your parent?
If you’re married, how will this affect your marriage? It’s important to find a balance between caregiving and marriage.
Will you be able to provide your loved one with privacy and vice versa?
If your parent has close friends that live nearby, are you comfortable having company over?

4. Personal Care Duties

Are you comfortable performing personal care duties such as bathing, dressing, and grooming?
If you are not able to perform certain duties, are you comfortable seeking respite care from a certified home health aide?
If your loved one suffers from dementia, Alzheimer’s or another chronic illness, are you prepared for future changes in his or her condition?

5. Home Safety

Do you have a private/spare room (preferably on the first floor of your home) for your loved one?
Are you able/willing to make changes to your home to better accommodate your loved one’s physical condition? This includes installing grab bars, repairing loose steps, carpeting and other hazards around the home.
Does your loved one have a pet that will be traveling with him or her? Are you able/willing to care for it?
Does your loved one smoke or drink and are you comfortable with that?

After careful consideration, you may find that having a parent or loved one move into your home is no longer a viable option. If this happens, consider the help of a licensed private care company. Such companies refer loving and professional caregivers to provide care for your parent or loved one in the comfort of his or her own home.

Contact Sonas for Home Care Services in Florida

At Sonas Home Health Care, our goal is to help families enjoy peace of mind and for their loved ones to maintain the highest level of independence in the home. In each area we serve, our professional community directors act as liaisons between our clients, their family members and caregivers. Our community directors are experts at helping families negotiate the complex decisions (and consider the pros and cons) that are necessary when having a parent or loved one move in.

If you or an aging loved one are considering home care services in Florida, contact the caring staff at Sonas Home Health Care. Call today (888) 592-5855.

Jillian Miller BSN, RN

Director of Nursing at Sonas Home Health Care

This blog was reviewed by Jillian Miller BSN, RN — Director of Nursing for Sonas Home Health Care’s Tampa Bay market — for clinical accuracy. Jillian Miller has been a nurse for 16 years — working primarily in pediatrics. She believes the best part of working with the pediatric population is when you see smiles from clients when you first enter the room. She loves seeing the difference you can make in families’ lives while providing the best care possible for them.