Are You Bringing Your Elderly Parent To Live You? Here’s What To Consider

As your parents get older, they rely on you more for help. It might eventually reach the point where you feel as though they can no longer live safely or happily alone. At that point, you have a few options to explore. You could think about helping them move to a different home, a care facility, or even into your own house. If you move them into your own property, then there’s a lot to think about before you’ll be ready to take the next step. 

Environment 

First, you need to make sure that you are thinking about your home environment and whether it is suitable for your elderly parents. There are lots of elements that can determine whether or not your home is suitable. For instance, you need to make sure that you are creating a hearing-friendly home if your elderly parent is struggling with their hearing. This is quite common as people get older and not just because of hearing damage. 

Commitment

Next, you should consider the commitment element. If you are bringing your parents to live with you, then you are always going to be making a massive commitment. Their life will be intertwined with yours. Even if you both want to live your lives separately, you’ll be somewhat tied together by your situation. So, you need to make sure that you are ready for this and how it is going to affect your life on a daily basis. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that nothing will change because it absolutely will. 

Safety

Another point to consider is safety. If your elderly parent is living with you, then it’s possible that it’s because they weren’t safe living in their home. So, how can you correct this issue? One of the best options would be to make sure that you are upgrading the security of your home. If your parents have mental health issues, then they might stumble out onto the street in the middle of the night. They could even forget to to turn the stove off. That’s why you need to make sure that you are putting the right security features in place throughout your home. 

Special Considerations 

Next, you should consider whether your elderly parent has any special requirements that need to be taken into account. This could include issues with mobility or problems getting up and down stairs. If this is an issue, then you need to make sure that you are thinking about investing in a stairlift. This is always going to be an expensive addition to your home. An alternative would be to keep your elderly parent downstairs instead. 

If your elderly parent is suffering from chronic pain, then they might also need a special bed setup which will help alleviate pain issues like this. 

Space

Another point to consider is whether or not your parents are going to have enough space in your home. You might want to consider either an extension or a conversion. Both are strong possibilities because it means that you’ll have literal space that your elderly parent can have as their own. 

Be aware that an extension or a conversion can be expensive. You’ll also need to make sure that your home is fully equipped for this type of conversion. For instance, if you are planning an attic conversion, then it is absolutely essential that you have a high enough roof. Otherwise, the conversion is going to be far more expensive and far more complicated

Leisure

Don’t forget, that you don’t just want to provide them with four walls. You want to give them a true home that they can enjoy and appreciate. To do that, you need to think about more than just a place for them to sleep and relax. It needs to be a place where they can unwind and enjoy life. That means that you need to make sure that they have different options to exercise, their mind, body and even their soul. Again, this is always going to depend on your budget as well as the level of space that you have. 

Mobility 

Another option worth thinking about is mobility. As mentioned, it’s possible that your parent might struggling with their mobility. You can do more than just investing in a stairlift. You could also think about ensuring that you have mobility elements in place like a wheelchair ramp. This is important if your elderly parent can not get around without a wheelchair. In some cases you might even need to widen the doors. Remember, you want them to hold onto as much of their independence as possible. 

Care Requirements 

Next, you should make sure that you are thinking about the individual care requirements of your elderly parents. For instance, they might need round the clock care. You’ll need to consider whether you are going to handle this yourself or hire an in-house carer. Obviously, this is always going to be expensive, but it can be worth it because it will give you the freedom to continue to live your life. This will certainly be a requirement if your parent has suffered a stroke or a similar long term health issue. 

Family 

Last but certainly not least, you need to consider how your elderly parent moving in is going to impact your family. This isn’t just about you, it’s about everyone who lives in the home with you. This is particularly true if your parent is suffering from a condition like dementia or a similar mental health condition. It might even make life more stressful on a daily basis, particularly if they feel as though they are also required to care for your elderly parent. 

We hope this helps you understand some of the key elements that you should consider if you are thinking about bringing your elderly parent to live with you. This is a thoughtful choice but it’s always going to have massive repercussions for you and your family and that you might not be fully prepared for. That’s why it’s important to make sure that you think about all the potential ramifications.