When your elderly parent or loved one can no longer live completely on their own, searching for additional care can be a challenge. However, there are many resources to utilize when finding the ideal living situation.
Look into Nursing Facilities
If your loved one requires round-the-clock care, a skilled nursing facility might be the best option. A nursing home typically provides 24-hour monitoring, along with specialized care such as speech and physical therapy and hospice services. Nursing homes are a popular choice for family members who do not have the time or resources to care for their loved one, but still want to visit with them on a regular basis.
Explore Home Care
Another option for assisting your senior loved one with everyday activities is home care. Home care typically involves a local, licensed caregiver visiting the patient to help with tasks that they cannot accomplish on their own. Finding a home care service can be as simple as an internet search. For example, if you live in Massachusetts, a search for home care massachusetts will give you information on agencies in your area.
Consider a Retirement Community
For seniors who do not require dedicated caregivers, a retirement community is an opportunity for a mostly independent lifestyle with on-call services in case of emergency. Some factors that may affect your decision include the location of the community, amenities, the cost of living and entertainment options or clubs for more sociable tenants. It can be ideal to find several local communities and assess your options, in order to provide the best standard care for your loved one.
Depending on the level of attention your senior needs, all of these options present benefits unique to any caregiving arrangement. Having a discussion with other family members and your loved one to choose an ideal living situation for everyone involved.