Watching your parents age can be a bittersweet thing as an adult. You are grateful for the years you have with your parents, but at the same time, it can be hard to watch their health and abilities start to change. It’s only normal and part of aging, but your parents won’t necessarily age in the same way at the same time. Often parents can require differing levels of care or support which can make it tricky to help them.
Here’s a look at some of the ways you can cope with differing levels of care for your senior parents to ensure that their health, happiness, and safety are always a top priority.
Get Them Help at Home
Sometimes one parent may just need a bit extra help, or it could be more involved than that. The problem is that if you leave it all to your other senior parent, it can be too overwhelming physically and mentally. A good solution is to look into at-home care and help. That doesn’t mean you need a personal support worker there around the clock; instead, there may be specific things they can assist with.
Some of the different types of help you may want to discuss with your parents include:
- Housecleaning services
- Cooking (a meal delivery service)
- Someone to run errands, pick up medication and groceries
- Physiotherapist
- Personal support worker to help with personal grooming, bathing, getting dressed, etc.
Any one or a combination of these types of help can make a huge and positive difference.
Is It Time to Downsize?
This could also be a great time to downsize their home if they are still in a large space. Caring for the inside and outside is a lot of work, and it’s a job that is never-ending. Downsizing to a home that is smaller and doesn’t have any outdoor work can be a huge stress relief.
Independent Living Facilities Can Be a Solution
Another option for senior couples who have differing needs can be an independent living facility. Facilities that cater to senior living in Dallas, and so many other big cities across the country, offer different levels of care. Independent living is ideal for a couple who is still active and doesn’t need much in terms of support, but at the same time their needs may differ slightly, and one may need a little help. There is no need to live in separate facilities or even rooms if this is the case.
Where independent living also shines is that all household chores disappear, and it’s left to the staff to take care of. Seniors can focus on enjoying themselves and taking advantage of what the facility has to offer in terms of recreation, socialization, fitness and enrichment activities.
Keep in mind that while any of these solutions can be great, the landscape can change over time. Both parents may eventually need the same level of care, or one may deteriorate much faster and require more intense care. You must remain flexible and be prepared to re-evaluate as necessary.