How to Transition Into Caring for Parents
Sharon Wagner
December 10th, 2021
As your parents get older, it may become apparent that maintaining the family home has become burdensome for them. Deep cleaning, yard work, and daily maintenance are a lot harder to manage. They may also need assistance with personal care or getting to doctor's appointments, grocery stores, or the bank.
When you notice your loved ones are not able to keep up like they used to, have an open conversation on how to make daily living comfortable and easier. If assisted living is not necessary, discuss aging in place with the option of you living locally, hiring help, or you moving in.
Make Relocating Easy
Create a rewarding experience for the entire family during this period of time. Make it less stressful on yourself by renting your new abode instead of searching for and purchasing a new house within a specific proximity of your loved ones. This can get you moved quickly, provide flexibility in location and save on monthly expenses.
Experts report that 68% of renters acknowledge that renting gives them flexibility in determining their location. Take this opportunity to live somewhere unique and fun that you otherwise would not have considered, such as downtown or on a golf course, or the waterfront.
Obtaining an easier lifestyle carves out more time to spend and care for your loved ones. Rather than your free hours being spent on updating and maintaining a new house, you can share them with your parents and manage their needs.
Hire Help
When Mom and Dad decide to age in place in their home, it needs to be updated and maintained. This can become quite difficult, and hiring professionals can assist everyone. Although gardening is a beneficial activity for seniors, the physical labor of mowing and trimming can be hired out to a backyard landscaping service.
Connect with backyard landscaping companies in your area, but before meeting with a landscaper, get a quote and discuss your needs. Evaluate companies by reading online reviews and researching if any of them are currently offering deals or credits for landscaping projects to save on expenses.
You can also hire contractors to clean gutters, power wash the house and walkways and make necessary repairs to the home that have been neglected. This can ease stress and make it a safer and more comfortable place. Other options for making life easier are to have groceries and drug store items delivered and have the house cleaned weekly by a cleaning service.
Live With Your Loved Ones
If moving in with your parents is the best option, utilize this time to downsize and sell off unnecessary furniture and knickknacks. The less you have to move, the easier it is and the fewer costs you will incur. Consider storing the special items you want to save at Stuff Self Storage to make your new space less cluttered and more manageable in keeping clean. Assist your parents in doing the same and making beneficial home modifications for aging in place. This can include flooring, grab bars, walk-in showers, and moving furniture for better mobility.
Taking this time to provide for your parents can benefit everyone. You can get insight into their daily needs and ensure a better quality of life as they progress in age. You also have the opportunity to create a simpler, more comfortable lifestyle for your entire family.
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