If you and your parent are facing down the question of what to do, as their ability to live independently diminishes, you may be concerned about how well the options are going to suit your needs and preferences. However, there are various choices you may not have looked into. Here, we will quickly sum up the pros, cons, and purposes of each.
Family as caregiver
In a lot of cases, people will choose to act in the role of caregiver for their own loved one. In fact, more millennials are becoming caregivers for their loved ones for a variety of reasons. For one, it’s more affordable than any of the other options and you may even be able to get some state assistance to help you work as a caregiver without worrying as much about having to keep another job. However, a lot of people also like to be more hands-on to ensure their loved ones’ needs are met. It’s a big challenge, but many people do meet it.
The nursing home
Nursing homes, also known as care homes, are often treated as the least preferable answer. However, aside from general old age care, these can be some of the best facilities for dementia care, physical disability care, or care for those with mental health disabilities. You need to make sure that the facility you choose is equipped to suit the individual needs of your parents, but nursing homes can be very effective solutions.
How are independent living communities different?
Not every age care facility is the same. Independent living communities, also known as senior living communities or retirement communities tend to be better suited to those who can live a little more independently but might still need help and assistance again. Teams like Care Patrol can help you find the specific communities suited to the precise needs in question. Many of them also come with luxury amenities and therapies to help your parent continue to age as best as possible.
Professional in-home care
One of the more expensive options, in-home care services like Visiting Angels allows your loved one to still live at home while having someone to come and make sure their needs are taken care of, often for the majority of the day. In some cases, you can even get live-in home care but that can be even more costly.
Temporary or respite care
When it comes to in-home care, there is a hybrid option so that you don’t have to choose between paying large fees for constant professional care but you also don’t have to devote as large a portion to your life to being a caregiver. A lot of in-home care services also offer temporary or respite care, which allows you some personal time while making sure your loved one’s needs are still being met to your standards/
Which option works best is going to depend on the needs and abilities of you and your parent. This choice can’t be made for you but hopefully, the points above have given you some places to start looking.
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