As someone who is fiercely independent, I never imagined myself living in an assisted living facility. For that reason, when I was diagnosed with a serious condition, my doctor recommended home health care. It was a little bit intimidating for me at first, but before I knew it, I was living at home, receiving the care I needed from the comfort of my own bed, and getting stronger each and every day. I had such a powerfully positive experience with home health care that I started this very blog. Read more about how home health care could help you or your family members.
You knew this day would come. You just probably weren't expecting it to come so quickly. However, now that your senior parents are facing difficulties, it's time to step in and start helping. If your parents are still able to live on their own, and they've chosen to remain in their own home, you'll still need to provide some senior care assistance to make sure they're safe. Here are three steps you can take to make sure your parents are ready to age in place.
Make Their Home Adaptive
Your parents home might have been perfect for them when they were younger. However, now that they're aging, issues inside their home could lead to serious mobility and safety issues. Now that your parents are getting up there in years, make sure their home is adaptive to their changing needs. The first thing you should do is remove any throw rugs that are on the floor. Your parents can get their feet tangled in those, which can lead to trip and fall accidents. Next, place non-skid stickers on the bathroom floors, to prevent slip and fall accidents. You should also consider installing grab bars next to the toilets, and in the shower.
Get Them Involved in the Changes
Your parents may realize that they have changing needs, but that doesn't mean they're prepared to give up all of their independence. While you're busy making changes to their home, and their lifestyle, make sure you get them involved in the process. This is particularly important when it comes to packing things up, and moving things around. Your parents will adjust to the changes more easily if they know that they're active participants in the decisions that are being made.
Bring in Outside Help
Your parents may want to remain independent for as long as possible, but they're still going to need outside assistance. That's where senior care comes in handy. With senior assisted care, someone will come in as often as needed to provide your parents with the assistance they need. You can work with the service provider, your parents, and their healthcare providers, to determine how much assistance they'll need each day. You can get your parents help with their medical needs, personal hygiene needs, dietary needs, or a combination of all three.
Find Ways to Keep Them Active
If your parents were used to enjoying an active social life, find ways to help keep them active. That could include arranging transportation to community events that your parents might enjoy, or helping them plan small gatherings in their own home. Maintaining some of their social connections can help keep your parents healthy longer.