Staying in a nursing home can be highly beneficial for seniors. However, all facilities are not created equal and long-term care homes may not be for everyone. The recent pandemic has made many people reconsider if nursing homes are the best place for their senior parents and you may be thinking of moving your parent out of a nursing home.
Whatever the reason, if you’ve decided it’s best for your parent to bring them back home, you need to be prepared. Let’s look closer at things to consider before taking such a serious step.
1. How Much Will it Cost?
Nursing homes aren’t cheap. When you decide to care for your parent at home, you are likely to save some money. However, you need to be ready for such expenditure items as:
- In-home care aides
- Special equipment
- Transportation to doctor appointments
- Meals
You should also be ready to rearrange or buy new furniture to accommodate special needs.
2. How Much Time Will You Need?
Caring for an elderly parent or relative can take up a lot of time, depending on their needs. Even if you hire in-home care aides, you’d still need to run errands, organize social outings, arrange meals, and much more.
You have to think about freeing up more time to maintain comfortable living for your parents away from the nursing home. That may mean giving up some of your hobbies or rearranging your work schedule.
3. Who Can Help?
When you take your parent out of the nursing home, plan to delegate some responsibilities. Are there other relatives who can help take care of them regularly or occasionally?
Determine who the primary caregiver will be. Try to take full advantage of all available resources and assign specific duties to everyone involved. To arrange comfortable living for your aging parents without disrupting your day-to-day activities, you’ll need as much help as you can get.
4. What are the Risks?
In many cases, putting parents in a nursing home doesn’t just provide them with high-quality daily care. It also ensures proper medical assistance. When you take a parent out of such a facility, you need to keep health considerations in mind. Be realistic about what care you can provide.
- Can you arrange proper and timely medical care?
- Do you have sufficient time and resources to maintain high-quality healthcare arrangements?
- What will you do in case their condition worsens?
You need to discuss the possible risks with your parent’s physician and have some plans in place.
5. Is Your Home Ready?
When you bring aging parents home, you need to ensure their safety and comfort. Depending on their mobility or potential future needs here are some changes you’ll want to consider:
- Invest in a wheelchair lift if necessary to access your home
- Install a barrier-free shower
- Remove non-skid rugs.
- Install railings on both sides of stairways.
- Widen doorways for walkers.
- Install grab bars in the bathroom
- Make your home wheelchair accessible
- Consider bidet toilet seats
6. Do Parents Understand the Process?
You need to talk to your parents to make sure they fully understand the process of moving out of the nursing home.
- Help them realize that in-home care will become a mandatory part of their living when they return home.
- Stress the importance of getting as much help as possible to make the transition and further living smooth.
- Ask them to accept the new approach to living at home and you being in charge of their well-being.
Is moving your parent out of nursing home the right decision?
Making the decision to take an aging parent out of a nursing home is never easy. However, with the right preparations, you can simplify the transition and improve the person’s quality of life tremendously.
For more information about equipping your house to welcome an elderly person, don’t hesitate to contact us today. Visit FreedomShowers.com to get more ideas for a senior friendly home.