Elderly Housing Options for Parents

Options for Elderly Parents

Many options for housing are available for seniors, but in many cases, adult children offer housing in the form of their homes to elderly parents because they are unaware of options available to seniors these days.

Living with an elderly parent in your home, especially for single, working mothers, is often difficult for everyone involved. Space needs to be taken into consideration, as well as current family needs and responsibilities. Will your home provide a safe environment for an elderly parent? How much care and personal attention do you think your parent might need? Such factors must be seriously addressed before making such a huge decision of moving your elderly parent in.

Many adult children encourage an elderly parent to move in with them without taking into consideration the fact that a mother or father will be leaving everything that is familiar, including their home, neighborhood, friends and social circles. Discussing the options available to seniors as well as children wishing to take care of their parents will help create a situation that is best for everyone involved.

Should Your Parent Move?

Determine the need to move a parent based on these considerations:

• Safety issues – Is your parent able to get around by him or herself?
• Medical issues – Is your parent able to take medications as directed or do they need help and supervision?

• Costs – Is your parent able to keep up with mortgage and insurance payments, property taxes and the expenses involved with owning a home?
• Is your parent lonely? Has he or she suffered the loss of a spouse?
• Location – Where is your parent's home located? Is it in a city or in a secluded location away from town?
• Medical condition – If your parent is showing signs of Alzheimer's or Parkinson's, considerations for adequate care must be made.

Also keep in mind that if your parent may have a solid social group in his or her life. If so, it might be best to encourage him or her to stay in that area. Moving closer to children is great, but only if they make a dedicated effort to visit regularly.

Housing Options for Seniors

Take a look at the options available for senior health care today. Determine if you and your parent(s) might decide that any of these suggestions are more suitable than moving in with you.

Home Health Care

Home health care provides seniors with medical or mobility difficulties with home health care aides who visit on a regular basis to help prepare with bathing needs, prepare meals, clean the home, and provide medication supervision or transportation to and from medical appointments.

More About Home Health Services

Nearly every community has some sort of home-health care. Contact your local Department of Health and Human Services for additional information regarding home health care needs in your area.

What type of care are you considering for Mom and Dad? Read what others are saying and leave your ideas for others.....

Senior Apartments

Senior apartments are designed for still-independent seniors that offer privacy and independence without the demands of home ownership.

Such facilities often provide transportation, housecleaning aid and meal preparation.

Assisted Living

This type of facility offers multiple services for those who need a little extra supervision or help to deal with daily tasks and challenges. Assisted living facilities offer individual apartment type living quarters with constant access to nursing and aide care.

Group Homes

This type of environment is usually located in a residential home. Elderly individuals in a home environment share rooms. Often, these homes are supervised and maintained by employees who help clean and cook, but who may not be trained in medical or health care. This type of facility is also known as a "board and care home".

ECHO (Elder Cottage Housing Opportunity)

ECHO homes are growing in popularity. This type of housing offers modular homes that are placed on private property. This "backyard" living arrangement offers a home about the same size as a garage that is designed to meet the needs of the elderly, including wheelchair accessibility.

Long-Term Care – Continuing Care Retirement Communities

This type of care is also known as continuing care. These types of facilities offer round the clock care and help with daily living activities for semi-independent residents, those needing medical assistance, and those suffering from Alzheimer's or Parkinson's type conditions.

Adult Day Care Services

Adult day care services offer activities, recreation, meals and supervision. In some communities, counseling and health care services may also be available. With this type of service, transportation is often provided for seniors to and from the day care facility.

Making a Decision

Before making a decision to move a parent into your home, discuss the issue and see if you and they can find a type of facility that may be just right for your parent. Many issues need to be taken into consideration, such as cost, convenience, health and needs.

Elderly health care is something that we will all have to deal with at some point in our lives, and knowledge is power. Be aware of your options. Be informed. Do your homework and research the best options available for you and your loved one.

For more information on a wonderful service that is helping people discover the options in housing or home care for seniors please see Home Care Profile

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