Maybe you’ve noticed that mom or dad is “starting to slip.” Or maybe they’ve had a health scare: a fall that didn’t break a hip, or flu that didn’t become pneumonia. Take a moment to breathe a sigh of relief. Then get ready to start planning for the future.
Providing safe transportation is one of the first challenges many families encounter when a senior chooses to age in place. Even if your aging parent can prepare meals and keep up with basic household chores, he may no longer be able to drive safely.
Imagine wrapping up a busy day at work, getting the kids from school, heading straight to your parent’s house to make dinner – and then going home to face homework, your own chores, and the same routine again tomorrow.
Many families don’t realize how much a loved one’s health has deteriorated until a fall sends her to the hospital. Falls are one of the most common, and most serious, health issues among seniors. And the resulting injuries can dramatically alter a senior’s quality of life.
It has been more than 3 years since I’ve seen the trauma surgeon who saved my life -- not once, but twice. In the first few months following the bicycling accident that left me a paraplegic, she was the thread that held it all together. Not only did I rely on her, but I easily connected with her and held onto her every word during my 51 days in the Intensive Care Unit at Hackensack University Medical Center. She has that kind of hold on people.
Though providing care for an aging parent may start as a sprint, it often becomes a marathon. Perhaps an injury or illness sends you scrambling for emergency care, but you soon realize that your senior won’t recover fully. Instead, she’ll need ongoing and likely, increasing, care. Or maybe you get a bit more warning; you notice your parent’s declining health and put a care plan in place over several months.
From the moment I arrived at the rehab hospital to learn how to live with paralysis, people were asking me what sort of adaptive sport I’d get involved in. Though it seemed like a given to everyone else, for me it was anything but. I was in no frame of mind to think about shooting hoops or racing in a wheelchair while sprawled out on a hospital bed, a dazed and scrawny paraplegic who couldn’t sit up without help.
There’s a lot to consider when your senior chooses to age in place. In recent blogs we’ve explored many ways you can provide safe transportation, stay on top of home safety and maintenance, and help your senior avoid loneliness.
For seniors and their adult children, the family home may be a source of comfort, safety, and happy memories. So it’s easy to understand the appeal of aging in place. Still, your senior’s safety has to be your top priority. If you’re not sure whether your parent can be safe at home – let alone what you need to do to make it happen – start by asking these three questions.
Today many seniors prefer to stay in their own homes as long as possible, but family and friends often have concerns for their safety and well-being. Some of these issues can be resolved quickly and easily, such as adding a new railing along the front walk or modifying the shower. Others, like avoiding loneliness, will require ongoing effort.
Many seniors want to age in place. With so many other aspects of their lives changing – due to declining health, decreased mobility, or dementia, for example – they long for the familiarity of their homes and neighborhoods. Shopping in the same stores, visiting the same salon, or attending the same church or synagogue helps maintain a sense of normalcy during this uncertain period in their lives.
If you live far away and are busy juggling your own career and family, it can be difficult to care for an aging parent. Whether your parent needs help with laundry and errands a few times a week or requires daily care, you’ll want to find an experienced caregiver you can trust. Successfully managing a long-distance relationship with this person can mean the difference between a good night’s sleep and endless worrying.