As our family members continue to grow older each day, eventually there may come a point when they no longer feel comfortable living alone or are unable to care for themselves without some form of assistance.
This is when some might make the decision to have their senior family members move in with them so that they have peace of mind in knowing that their family is getting the quality of care they deserve.
Although this move will allow you to spend more time with your loved ones and ensure their well-being, it is still a significant transition that will ultimately affect the dynamic of your home.
For this reason, it is essential that you are prepared for this change and everything that accompanies it—from modifying your home to be safer for seniors to discussing expectations and house rules.
Read on to learn 5 tips for how to appropriately prepare for seniors moving in with you.
Tips for Preparing to Take on the Task of Senior Care in Your Home
1. Set up a living space for them.
One of the first things that you should focus on when transitioning elderly family members into your home is preparing some sort of living space for them. While this may seem like a no-brainer, there are actually a lot of factors to take into consideration when selecting this living space.
For example, the location of their living space is important, especially for seniors that have limited mobility.
You may want to choose a room that is on the main floor so that they don’t have to struggle up and down the stairs, a room closer to the bathroom so they don’t have to stumble around in the dark at night, or a room farther away from the kids so they can enjoy more peace and quiet.
It is also important that you try and pick a secluded area that allows your elderly family members to maintain their privacy.
Providing your family with their own space not only provides them with privacy but also provides you with privacy, as well as the opportunity to implement physical and personal boundaries that will help prevent short tempers or conflict in the future.
2. Have a discussion about your expectations and house rules.
While it may feel uncomfortable switching up the power dynamics between elders and youths, your family members will now be living under your roof, so they must respect your rules.
Discuss any major points that you want to make about scheduling, manners, behaviours, communication, how certain situations should be handled, and the general type of environment you expect in your household.
You should also take the time to ask what your senior family members expect from you from a caregiving standpoint. Do they expect you to provide transportation? Do they want you to provide them care around the clock? Do they need your financial help?
If their expectations aren’t realistic or in line with yours, you can discuss sharing the responsibilities with others such as asking your siblings to contribute financially, getting a family member to drive them, or even hiring a caregiver to ease some of the workload.
3. Form a financial plan beforehand that includes home care services and living expenses.
As much as no one likes discussing finances, it is a conversation that is necessary to have, especially when there is a possibility that you will be taking on the living expenses of extra people.
Be sure to discuss this beforehand, as you don’t want there to be any room for miscommunication or misunderstanding that can land you in financial “hot water.”
Budget all expected expenses such as food, home modifications, health insurance, clothing, medical treatment, help from caregivers, and prescriptions, and discuss who will be responsible for paying for which expenses.
Take into account that life is unpredictable and unexpected expenses may arise. Your budget doesn’t have to be set in stone, but it helps to have a rough idea of who is responsible for what, as well as a plan of action for unforeseen circumstances and expenses.
4. Modify your home to meet their needs.
As we age, simple tasks that used to come naturally to us such as walking up and down the stairs, doing laundry, and showering can become more difficult and even dangerous.
For this reason, it is essential that you make small modifications to your home that prevent dangerous accidents such as falls or slips from occurring.
These are some minimal changes you can make that significantly improve safety in the home for seniors:
- Installing a shower chair
- Using non-slip mats in the bathroom
- Removing rugs placed at the top or bottom of the stairs that could cause falls
- Installing grab bars in the shower and near the toilet
- Keeping walkways well-lit and clear of tripping hazards such as shoes or books
- Taping all rugs down to the floor so they don’t slip out from underneath you or trip you
- Placing assistant devices around the house such as wheelchairs, walkers, and canes
- Installing a stairlift to provide safe and easy full access to your home for everyone
Stairlifts are life-changing devices that take your life to the next level by allowing you full access to the home you love.
Acorn’s innovative stair lifts are designed to fit your home—your home will never be modified to fit our stairlifts. This is because Acorn Stairlifts has a unique FastTrack system that allows our rails to be modified to flow with the bends, curves, and lengths of straight, curved, and outdoor staircases.
Because this rail attaches directly to your staircase and never the wall, Acorn stairlift installation is quick and simple. Better yet, with this innovative system, no drilling or plastering is necessary, meaning that no messy modifications that compromise the style or structure of your home are necessary.
When you choose to go with Acorn Stairlifts, you are choosing a quality lift that will last for years to come—manufactured, installed, and serviced by only the top stairlift experts in the industry.
Get in contact with Acorn Stairlifts today to claim your free, no-obligation stairlift quote and home survey.
5. Anticipate an adjustment period.
Just like any other major change in life, living with your parents or elderly family members for the first time (or again) will require some getting used to.
Regardless of whether your personality meshes well with the personalities of your family members or not, having more people living with you will change the overall dynamic of your household.
Remember to be patient and understanding with yourself, your spouse, your children, and your senior family members as you adjust to this change.
This transition is a work in progress, and you will learn the best way to navigate these new challenges as they come.
However, in the meantime, try to treasure this time that you are getting to spend with your family and the new memories you are making every day.
