Are you ready to move your aging parent into your home?

The time may come when you consider moving an aging parent, or aging parents, into your home. The reasons may vary, from easing financial burdens to providing care and assistance. Before you make the move, consider these questions:

• How long is this arrangement for?
• How will meals be handled?
• Who will help-out when I must leave the home?
• What specific boundaries will be set?
• How will this impact my own financial, mental, and physical well-being?
• Is my home a safe place for them to live?
• Will we both retain some privacy once they move in?
• Should I accept any money from my parents?
• Is this going to be a healthy environment for my parent(s)?

To ensure the transition is smooth, and prevent problems later-on adopt a solution mindset and review these tips as you take this step. 

Plan Ahead for the Move

Now is the time to research and plan what would be needed if a parent, or parents, move in. Think about things like accessibility and your parents’ mobility level. You may need to modify the home to make it safe before the move happens.

Talk to your Parents about Moving

Have a conversation with your parent about the possibility of moving in. Are they in favor of the idea? Opposed? Why or why not? Bring the subject up casually at-first; now is not the time to sell them on the idea. Rather, bring it up and give them time to think about it on their own.

List the reasons to move your parents

Next you will want to create a compelling list of reasons why moving in makes sense. Consider your parent’s lifestyle and how this move could affect things like their social life or feeling of independence. Does your parent have pets? This will also need to be considered and accommodated.

Have another discussion with your parents as you progress toward having them to move in, if this is still on the table. If they resist the idea, do not argue about it. Instead, try to figure out what their apprehensions are. It could be that they are worried about being a burden to you and need reassurance to the contrary.

Enlist In Home Care

In home senior care and other forms of eldercare are going to be an invaluable resource once your parent moves in, particularly if you work out of the home. Try to enlist help and time from other family members, if available, to make sure your parent is not left alone for prolonged periods of time. Respite or companion services may also be viable for your situation.

Provide for Privacy

Things will go more smoothly if you provide for privacy in the home, both for your parent and yourself. Configure living spaces that are communal, but also ample room for each person to get time alone, if possible. If you can construct a separate dwelling or attached addition for your parents, even better.

Be Sensitive

Finally, try to be sensitive to what your parent is going through. This may be a big transition and adjustment that requires some time to fully adapt to. Moving your parent in is a loving gesture that can improve the life of your parent- and the whole family. Be patient.

Use these tips to prepare yourself and your loved ones for the coming change. It will be a big adjustment for all involved. We can help make the transition easier; contact us at Gentle Shepherd Home Care, an In-Home Care provider serving Colorado Springs and surrounding areas.