As parents age, their ability to live on their own and take care of themselves can be compromised. An obvious solution is to move them in with you, but is that the best solution? There are several factors to consider before you move Mum or Dad into your home.
How well do you get along?
The fact that you’re even considering having them move in shows how much you love them. But how well do you get along on a day-to-day basis? Do you argue over everything? Will there be conflict if your parent insists on changes in your home? No one will feel better if you move your parent in only to have daily struggles.
Is your home elderly ready?
Much like childproofing your home for a newly crawling baby, there may need to be some prep work done to get your home ready for your elderly parent. Installing grab bars in the bathroom, a ramp to the front door for a wheelchair or walker, and swapping the guest bed for a hospital bed are just some of the changes you may need to consider. These changes take time and money to make, and if you don’t have either, you may not make things better for your loved one.
How much care and supervision are you able to provide?
This is a two-part question. Do you understand their health condition(s) and how best to care for them, first of all? And second, does moving them in with you really give them any more supervision than they already have? If you’re at work all day most days, and only see them in the evenings anyway, moving your parent in may not be the best option. In a situation like that, you may want to look instead at providing in-home care services like the ones provided by CarePilot. The added expense may be worth it to know that your parent is getting the kind of care that you’re unable to provide right now.
Can your parent provide any financial support for themselves?
Moving your parent in can be a selfless, beautiful decision. It can also become a problem in multiple ways, and the financial aspect is not the least of it. Particularly if your home is a single-income home already, moving another person in could put you in financial trouble. If your parent is able to provide some financial support for themselves, this can ease the burden. However, if they can’t or if their support will eventually run out, you may need to look at other options, such as exploring wa long term care insurance plans that could provide additional support.
Your parents spent nearly two decades taking care of you, so it seems only natural to return the favour by caring for them in their elder years. But just like they considered whether they could afford to take on a child before you came along, you need to consider whether you can afford to take them on. The decision is is emotional, financial and practical, and certainly not easy.
