3 Questions To Ask Before Taking In An Elderly Relative

When your parents start to get older, the tables are turned and now it’s your town to look after them. You should let them live independently for as long as possible but there comes a time when there is no way around it and living alone becomes dangerous for them. When you get to this point, you’ve got a big decision to make; should you take them into your home or not? Some people think that it’s best because they don’t like the idea of a care home but it’s not always the most practical thing to do. It’s one of the hardest decisions you’ll ever have to make, but hopefully, this will make it a little easier.

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Can You Be There?

One of the main reasons to think twice about having them stay with you is your schedule. It’s important that they have people around to talk to so they don’t feel lonely sitting in the house all day. If everybody in the family has a busy schedule and there won’t be anybody there, it might be better for them to live in a care home where there are a lot of other people around. Alternatively, if you’ve got a busy schedule but you’re not sure about care homes, you can get home care specialists to come in and care for them during the day while you’re out. This is the best thing to do if you want to keep them close to you but you can’t be there during the day.

Have You Got The Money?

Money is another thing to think about here. If you want to send them to a care facility where they can be looked after, you’re going to have to pay for it. They’ll have some money to put towards it as well but it’s still likely to add a significant amount to your monthly bills that some people just won’t be able to afford. In that circumstance, taking them into your own home and looking after them there might be your only option. When you’re adding up the costs, remember that you’re likely to have to pay that money for years to come.

Is It The Best Environment For Them?

This probably isn’t a question that you’ve considered because, of course your house is the right place for your parents to live, isn’t it? Well, it might not be. If you’ve got lots of very young kids in the house, it might be a bit too lively for an elderly parent that needs a bit of peace and quiet. It’s good for them to be in a lively environment sometimes but they need to be able to get a bit of respite sometimes. If you live in a particularly loud neighbourhood that’s something to consider as well. While you might be sure that your house is the perfect place for them, if you think about it properly, you might realize that it’s not.

People often feel guilty about not taking in their parents, but it’s OK, in some situations it just isn’t the right thing to do.