Choosing a living arrangement for your elderly loved one can be a daunting experience, especially since there are many options to choose from. The most common housing arrangements available include:
- Aging at home
- In-home care
- Moving in with another family member
- Independent living communities
- Assisted living communities
- Care homes/Nursing facilities
Moving to a new living arrangement can be an emotional process for both you and your elderly loved one. However, it is an important step that ensures their safety and provides them with companionship. Apart from that, a proper living arrangement for your elderly loved one frees you from responsibilities that would otherwise tether you at home. For that reason, it gives you the peace of mind and freedom to attend to other activities, such as work.
As we already mentioned, picking the right living arrangement for your elderly loved one can be overwhelming. The first thing you need to do is evaluate their needs and abilities to determine which option would best suit them. Each of the living arrangements offers something different. Therefore, it is crucial to sort out the options before anything else.
So, how do you choose a living arrangement for your elderly loved one?
Consult Your Loved One Concerning the Idea of Changing Their Living Arrangements
Before you think of finding a living arrangement for your elderly loved one, it is important to determine their personal preferences, including meals, types of care, religion, among others. To learn all these, you might have to ask them a few questions.
Apart from their preferences, it is essential that you make a realistic assessment regarding their level of daily care. For instance, if they need regular medical attention and treatment, you should consider a living arrangement with life alert systems in the plans.
It is crucial to involve your elderly loved one in your plans as it allows you to decide with them, rather than for them.
Research the Different Types of Care Facilities
Another essential thing to do before choosing a living arrangement for your loved one is to find out more information about the different types of senior care facilities. As we already mentioned, each of the options offers something different. For that reason, you need to compare each living arrangement with the needs of your loved one to ensure you find the one that suits them.
For instance, an independent community might be the best option for a senior who is able to live alone, but prefers an environment with other people they can interact socially. On the other hand, independent living might suit elderly individuals who can still live on their own but want quick access to other services such as medical care.
In most cases, the needs of your elderly loved one would determine the type of living arrangement you choose. So, ensure you assess their needs first before analyzing the available living arrangement options.
Ask for Professional Advice
Apart from researching the options you have, it might be advisable to ask for professional advice before choosing a living arrangement for your elderly loved one. As an ordinary individual, it can be relatively challenging to determine what kind of care best suits your loved one’s needs, especially when health matters are concerned. So, it might be advisable to get some help from a professional or someone who has had some experience with elderly care.
Even if you are pretty sure with your decision concerning the living arrangement for your elderly loved one, it is still an excellent idea to crosscheck with a professional. That would help you avoid rushed decisions that might cause stressful experiences in the future.
Consider Your Budget
As we all know, any living arrangement for your elderly loved one would cost some money. Whether you choose in-home care or an assisted living community, you have to part with some amount of money for the care of the senior. So, it might be a good idea to factor in your budget before choosing a living arrangement.
Luckily, there are several different ways to sort the finances part of elderly care. For instance, you can rely on insurance to cover any medical needs of the elderly individual. You might also get some help from the government if you live in a state with some financial arrangements for elderly citizens. Either way, it is essential to choose a living arrangement that suits your budget.
If you are working with a tight budget, in-home care (aging in place) might be the best option since it costs less money than other living arrangements.
Choose an Ideal Location
The other essential thing you should consider before choosing a living arrangement for your elderly loved one is the location. A perfect place is crucial for both you and your loved one as it ensures you can spend time together when you are free from your responsibilities.
If you choose a location far from your workplace or home, it might be a little demanding for you to commute to and from the home whenever you need to visit them. The majority of elderly individuals have many emergencies that may require regular attention. Therefore, you should choose a location that is close enough to make it easier to visit them whenever it is necessary.
Apart from being close to your loved one, you need to find a location that places your elderly loved one close to essential things. These can include fitness facilities, shopping stores and hospitals. That is particularly important for a senior who plans to continue handling most of their personal needs, such as driving themselves to the grocery store or visiting a friend.
Conclusion
Choosing an ideal living arrangement for your loved one can be a tough job because there are plenty of options to choose from. Additionally, you might have to do lots of research and consider various factors before you can find a perfect solution.
However, sorting out the living arrangement for a senior doesn’t have to be a tough job, provided you understand their needs and preferences. Apart from that, do not hesitate to ask for help from professionals that are well-versed with elderly care.
The list above consists of the top tips to ensure you choose an ideal living arrangement for your elderly loved one.