Many people live with their aging loved one as a way of providing additional assistance and support.
Living with older relatives can be a tremendous gift and an opportunity for some meaningful and memorable connections.
While there are many advantages to having your loved one move into your home, being a live-in caregiver may cause stress and complications. In this post we will highlight some factors for you to consider if you’re thinking about having your elderly relative move in with you.
Is your home suitable for the person’s needs?
Before your aging loved one comes to live with you, first, you need to think about whether your house is adapted to your loved one’s care needs.
As we age, our physical health declines and we begin to need homes that are suitable for our physical capabilities. Depending on your loved one’s health and overall fitness, some seniors have problems with getting out of bed, bathing and climbing stairs.
Think about whether your home has a lot of stairs, or if it is easily accessible for someone with limited mobility. If your loved one uses a wheelchair or has generally poor mobility, you’ll likely have to spend money adapting your home to their needs. Ask yourself if you can afford the cost of renovations, ramps, and chairlifts.
Hosting your loved one might also mean converting one of your common spaces into a bedroom. You’ll also have to make sure there’s a bathroom available on the same floor where your loved one will be living and sleeping.
If your loved one uses a wheelchair, you’ll have to make sure that the dimensions of rooms, pathways through furniture, and the entrances are wide enough for the wheelchair to fit through.
You should also think about whether your personal life and family life can adapt to having another relative living in the house. Your personal time and levels of privacy will change, so you must think about whether you, your family, and your partner can adjust to this.
Can you provide the necessary level of care?
It’s understandable that you feel that you have a duty to care for your loved one’s and bring them home to live with you, especially when they have health and mobility issues.
However, do consider whether you’re truly able to offer the necessary level of care and support that your loved one needs. Remember that your loved one’s loss of independence and increasing reliance on family members may also be challenging for them to accept.
Understand your comfort level
Your loved one may need help with daily activities and chores like dressing, toileting, and bathing. Think about whether you and your loved one are comfortable with you providing this level of care. If you do still want your relative to live with you but don’t feel comfortable taking on the full level of care, you could hire a service to help with these tasks.
Think about your schedule
Before a loved one moves into your home, you need to think about whether you have enough time in your schedule to provide assistance. Do you work? Do you have a family of your own? Do you have someone who could help you with assisting your loved one? Are you willing to shift your personal time to assist them?
It’s important that you take into account the amount of time that caring for your loved one will require before you take on such a responsibility.
Get a professional opinion
Talk to your loved one’s healthcare provider about their everyday and health needs and reflect on whether you’re capable of providing the required level of care. You should also take into account that over time, the level of assistance your loved one needs may increase.
These are just a few things to consider when deciding whether your loved one should move in with you. If you are still on the fence about your loved one moving in with you, you can always schedule a free consultation with one of our Life Navigators. We would be happy to explain the various care options available to you and your loved one!
