Page 21 - Healthcare News July/August 2022

Aging Gracefully
When It’s Time to Leave Home
Choose a Living Option That Suits Your Family’s Needs
TBy the National Institute on Aging
he decision about whether your parents should move is often tricky and emotional. Each family will have its own reasons for wanting (or not
wanting) to take such a step.
One family may decide a move is right because the
parents can no longer manage the home. For another family, the need for hands-on care in a long-term care facility motivates a change.
In the case of long-distance caregivers, the notion of moving can seem like a solution to the problem of not being close enough to help. For some caregivers, moving a sick or aging parent to their own home or community can be a viable alternative. Some families decide to have an adult child move back to the parent’s home to become the primary caregiver.
Keep in mind that leaving a home, community,
and familiar medical care can be very disruptive and difficult for the older parent, especially if they are not enthusiastic about the change. You might first want to explore what services are available in your parents’ community to help them in their home — including home health care, housekeeping, personal care, and transportation services.
Older adults and their families have some options
when it comes to deciding where to live, but these choices can be limited by factors such as illness, ability to perform activities of daily living (for example, eating, bathing, using the toilet, dressing, walking, and moving from bed to chair), financial resources, and personal preferences.
Making a decision that is best for your parent — and making that decision with your parent — can be difficult. Try to learn as much as you can about possible housing options.
Residential Facilities, Assisted
Living, and Nursing Homes
At some point, support from family, friends, and local programs may not be enough. People who require help full-time might move to a residential facility that provides many or all of the long-term care services they need.
Facility-based long-term care services include board and care homes, assisted-living facilities, nursing homes, and continuing-care retirement communities. Some facilities have only housing and housekeeping, but many also provide personal care and medical services. Many facilities offer special programs for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of
dementia.
Board and care homes, also called residential care
facilities or group homes, are small private facilities,
usually with 20 or fewer residents. Rooms may be private or shared. Residents receive personal care and meals and have staff available around the clock. Nursing and medical care usually are not provided on site.
Assisted living is for people who need help with daily care, but not as much help as a nursing home provides. Assisted-living facilities range in size from as few as 25 residents to 120 or more. Typically, a few
Options
Continued on page 46
“Each family will have its own reasons for wanting (or not wanting) to take such a step.”
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