There are many benefits to having your senior parent living with you. They can provide companionship and support to younger family members.
They also offer wisdom and experience that can benefit everyone in the household. It is also an opportunity to see that they are getting the best care.
However, there are some things to consider when it comes to having your senior parents live with you. For example, they may require extra care or supervision.
If you plan to move them into your home, you need to make sure this would be the best environment for them.
If you want to know all the things you need to think about before moving your senior parents into your home, then you’ve come to the right place.
We have created a list of ten things you need to consider, before moving your senior parents into your home.
How Well Do You And Your Parents Get Along?
This is one of the most important things to ask yourself before moving your parents into your home.
If you don’t get along well with your parents, then you will not be able to keep their needs and wants at the forefront of your mind.
This could lead to problems down the road.
Moving your parents into your home is a big adjustment. It can be stressful for both parties.
So when considering moving your senior parents into your home, you need to think about whether this would be the right decision for everyone involved.
The last thing you want is to bring your senior parents into your home, only for there to be a lot of conflicts.
When thinking about how well your parents get along with you, consider your history. Moving your senior parents into your home is not a chance to fix your relationship with them.
Especially if they are suffering from disorders such as Alzheimer’s. In fact, such disorders can change the way your parents might act.
Do You Have Enough Space In Your Home?
It’s important to remember that your house should be large enough to accommodate your senior parents.
If you do not have enough space in your home, then you might find that you are constantly having to rearrange the furniture. This can cause stress on everyone involved.
It’s also important to note that if you’re going to move your senior parents into your current home, you may need to accommodate their needs.
This is why it is important that your house is large enough so any special equipment can be placed in the house.
Also, ensuring your house is large enough can help to ease other problems that might arise.
For example, having a house large enough to accommodate all of you comfortably could reduce the chances of conflicts happening.
This is due to the fact that you will not be constantly in each other’s way.
What Are Their Finances Like?
When you are thinking about moving your parents into your current home you need to take into consideration what their finances look like.
This includes paying bills, making payments, and taking out loans. If you are unsure about how much money your parents have available, then you should speak to a financial advisor.
They can help you figure out how much money your parents will need to cover expenses.
Talking about finances with parents can be quite tricky. However, it is best to get all of this out in the open before they move in.
You need to know if you will be covering any costs relating to their care, so you can make sure you can afford it.
It would also be good to check if they are happy to help out with any finances around the house.
Having this information out in the open will ensure that there are no surprises when your parents move in and that you are able to plan accordingly.
How Will You Manage Their Care?
If you are going to move your parents into your current house, you need to make sure that you will be managing their care.
This means that you will be responsible for looking after them day-to-day. This can mean things like cooking meals, doing laundry, cleaning up, and helping them with daily tasks.
You will also need to manage their medications. If your parents suffer from dementia, this can be difficult.
But by talking to your doctor, you can work out what kind of medication they require.
If you cannot manage their care then you need to think about who will be caring for them.
It is important to think about whether you want to hire someone or whether you will be taking over the role yourself. The latter option can be stressful, but it can also be rewarding.
Is Your Family Happy With The Decision?
You should always consider the opinions of your family members. When you are considering moving your parents into your house, you need to ask them what they think about the idea.
Moving in with your children’s grandparents can be a great thing for them, especially if the grandparents are still healthy.
This can be a chance for your kids to form bonds with their grandparents.
Make sure that your family is aware of the entire situation, including how moving in your senior parents might impact their lives. This is not only a big adjustment for your parents but it will be for your children and partner.
In some cases, children may need to take on more chores or even give up their bedroom. This is something that the children should feel they have a say in.
Think about whether your partner and parents tend to fight. If this is the case, it is important to consider your partner’s feelings about your parents moving in.
There may be a lot of sacrifices your family has to make, so it is best to make sure they are happy to make them.
This includes having time to cook meals, clean the house, and spend quality time with your parents.
If you do not have enough time to look after your parents properly, you may end up resenting them especially if you have to make sacrifices.
Not only do you need to think about the time it will take to look after them, but you need to consider whether you will still have time for yourself.
Will Your Parents Be Able To Adjust To Your House Rules?
Your parents may have lived in their own homes for many years. They know what their schedule is and how they like to live.
So when they come to live with you, they may expect certain rules to apply.
For example, they could expect to eat at specific times, go to bed at different times, and get up at different times. These expectations are part of being an adult.
However, it is possible that your parents won’t adjust well to these new rules. It might be hard for your parents to deal with the loss of some of their independence.
If you are worried about this, you should talk to your parents’ doctors. They can advise you on how to help your parents adapt to living with you.
Are You And Your Family Ready To Adjust?
Your parents are not the only ones who will be adjusting. You and your family will have to make adjustments to the way you live.
The adjustments you may have the hardest time making are the ones you might not consider.
Your family might be perfectly happy with taking on some extra chores, however, there are a lot of smaller adjustments that might slip your mind.
For example, a small adjustment you may have to make is not playing loud music. This might seem like nothing at first, but it can become frustrating.
Another adjustment is your children might not be able to have their friends over as much.
It is good to have a conversation with your family about whether you are ready to have your lives changed.
Will Your Parents Have Support Outside Your Family?
It is also important to think about whether your parents will have support outside your family.
If your parents are moving from a place that is a long distance from you, it is important to consider the fact that they will be leaving their support system of friends.
This can be quite stressful and isolating, so it is important to think about whether your parents will be able to make new friends that can support them.
Is Your House Appropriate For Them To Live In?
When you are thinking about where your parents will live, you need to think carefully about whether your house is suitable for them to live in.
There are things you can do to make sure your house is suitable for your parents.
For example, your house would likely need to have a downstairs bathroom so your parents can avoid the stairs. Is there a room downstairs that can be their bedroom?
Depending on their age and mobility, you may need to have your parents avoid using the stairs to avoid accidents.
You should also think about whether your home is safe for your parents.
Make sure there are no dangerous objects or areas in your home that your parents could trip over or fall into.
Final Thoughts
If you are considering having your parents move in with you, then it is important to think carefully about all aspects of the situation.
You want to ensure that you are doing everything you can to make sure your parents are comfortable while living with you.
We understand that you may want to do everything you can to help your parents, but it is important to make sure this is the right way to help them.
We hope you found this guide helpful. Please share this guide with others who may also benefit from reading it. Thank you for reading!
Hi, my name is Eddie Lamb and I am passionate about teaching people how to care for the elderly at home. The debate on nursing homes is a fierce one, and in my experience, I have found that older people would prefer to remain in their own homes.
I have previously worked in a nursing home as a trained carer for 15 years. As you can imagine, I was able to talk to countless residents within the home and get to know them on a personal level.
I hope that you’ll find something of use on my website. I would love to think that I have helped just one older person remain at home, where they feel the happiest, during their final years.
