When Should You Move Close to a Senior Loved One?
More often than not, senior people need our help.
They may experience health-related problems, chronic illness, and the inability to perform some self-care tasks. Seniors who find it difficult to navigate simple self-care tasks need someone close to them to assist with their day-to-day tasks. Some are forced to join nursing homes or assisted living facilities, while others prefer living with close relatives or friends.
Some of the challenges that older people face include moving into and out of their wheelchair, bathing, dressing, grooming, and even using the toilet. Others will find it difficult to clean their rooms, cook, and even launder. In addition, things like shopping, controlling finances, and even driving may become a nightmare. Some seniors may find it hard to use public transportation, experience problems communicating, or lose their senses of sight and hearing. Any of these happenings make life unbearable.
From New England Low Vision and Blindness, here are a couple of more things you can look at to help seniors and determine if it’s time to move in or make other arrangements for your loved one.
Chronic illness
If a senior person you know recently became ill, it’s time that you moved closer to them and offered some support.
They might need help performing basics such as dressing, bathing, or even eating. So they will need assistance in performing some of these core functions. Alternatively, you can hire a professional to look after them while you only provide emotional support. Also, you can move them into a nursing home where they’ll get all the care required.
To ensure that they are fully comfortable, hire professionals who can help maintain their homes. For instance, if their window is broken and needs repair, you can find and contact window repair specialists. Before meeting with any company, evaluate them by reading their online reviews. The average cost for a window repair is $290. This, however, depends on the kind of repair you need.
Make sure that the company you pick to work with is insured and licensed. Asking for referrals from satisfied customers will also help in making an informed decision.
Dexterity
Dexterity will decline naturally as one ages. So completing some of the day-to-day tasks will get difficult as they advance in age. It makes it difficult for one to take care of themselves. In some cases, it takes them too much time to perform simple tasks, denying them the opportunity to socialize and pursue other interests.
Also, it becomes hard for them to take part in activities of their interests. When you notice that your loved one has a decline in agility, it’s time to initiate different housing plans. If you plan to sell either of your houses, using help from a real estate agent is an excellent idea to ease the process. They can also assist in the home-buying process if they plan to downsize.
Poor financial decisions
It’s normal to make poor financial decisions once in a while, especially during this era of online shopping. However, if you happen to see a pattern of poor money spending on your loved ones, it’s time to step in.
Most importantly, if the person has a history of good spending habits, take a step and move closer to them, or hire someone to take over their financial responsibility. Ensure that you talk to them and make them understand why you feel like taking over is important. Remember, topics around money tend to be very sensitive.
If they should suddenly face a decline in vision such that they can’t continue to operate their business, it’s important to know what steps to take to properly close or sell the business. They should gather all necessary information about the business in addition to having it valued. This is likely to be a frustrating time, and they should be able to be compensated for their business.
When they become lonely
Maybe a senior loved one just lost someone dear that they lived with. A wife, a husband, a partner, a friend, or a child. This can hugely impact loneliness, anxiety, and depression. To help them cope, moving closer, moving in, or moving them to assisted living facilities will be of great help.
Make plans to sell either of the houses that won’t be used anymore and buy a new one by taking a pre-approved mortgage to make the process as easy as possible. Getting your mortgage pre-approved lets you know how much you can borrow in advance. Therefore you’ll be able to move quickly once you find a place you love.
Conclusion
Change can be quite overwhelming. That’s why you must take all the necessary measures to make this process easier for you and your senior friend. Ensure that everything is set to avoid any chaos and anxiety when it’s time to move.
This article was written for New England Low Vision and Blindness by Sharon Wagner of Senior Friendly, providing Tips, Tricks, and Advice to Stay Active and Engaged as You Age
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