You probably promised your parent(s) years ago that you wouldn’t ever put them in a long-term care home if you’re like most family caregivers. You reassured them that no matter what, you would be the one to look after their needs. However, you, along with many adult children, find themselves in a precarious situation when it becomes apparent that one or both parents require an increasing amount of care. Living with elderly parents becomes a struggle. In such cases, what do you do?
What to Do When Living With Elderly Parents Doesn’t Work Out
What should a caregiver do if they are having trouble with their living circumstances? A lot relies on the context and specifics of one’s arrangement.
Because they want the best for their parents, most family caregivers accept living with them. They take on the duty out of necessity or out of love. Some caregivers relocate to live with their parents because they were in a challenging situation themselves—trying to provide for children, after a divorce, or getting over a setback in their finances or job.
Everyone was expected to gain from the decision to live together. Sadly, there is another group of caregivers who have been bogged down by the constant demands of caregiving or difficult parents.
Caregiver guilt can be a big problem for many. You want to make this work, but it’s difficult when your senior parent displays problematic behaviors associated with dementia, creates unsafe or unhygienic surroundings, or sets a negative example for your kids.
It’s time to let go of the guilt and make alternative plans if you feel compelled to care for aging parents and have no choice but to delegate the task to others. It is now essential that you accept that you’ve done your best and investigate alternative elder care alternatives. This may include placing your loved one in a retirement community, a nursing community, adult day care, or temporary in-home care.
Relocating Elderly Parents So Their Needs Are Met
If your loved one or yourself enjoys independent living but could benefit from extra assistance with daily living activities, assisted living may be the answer for you. Your parents will be able to receive professional and personalized care services 24 hours a day. This includes things like medication management, bathing or showering assistance, insulin and glucose management, continence management, and more.
When you choose assisted living at a senior living community like Terra Bella, you’ll find spacious suites and apartment homes, and plenty of resident-focused amenities, including our senior-specific fitness classes, made-from-scratch dining, as well as on-site therapy services and medical care.
Seniors will receive helpful and friendly assistance when and where they need it and will maintain independence in areas where they don’t. Families will be able to feel at ease knowing that our professional team members are ensuring their loved ones’ happiness and health, and seeing to their everyday needs. When you take the plunge and make the decision to relocate your parents to a community designed for their needs, you’ll realize that it was the best decision for the both of you.
Want to find out more about senior living options in our community? Feel free to schedule a tour!
