Many various feelings and thoughts are likely to surface when your parent(s) move in with you in a house you didn’t truly plan and furnish with them in mind. You will experience some resentment and overwhelm at some point, regardless of how much you love them and how great you get along. This is especially true if they have serious health problems that need to be closely watched.
Take a look at our advice for preparing your home for an older parent if you are about to combine residences with one. They will assist you in making sure your parent is not just completely at ease but also secure and pleased.
Install a Medical Alert System
When a senior citizen resides in your house, you want to make sure that they are always safe. And to do that, you must ensure their security even when no other family members are home.
Perhaps your parent has mobility issues or a health condition that can suddenly get worse (making them more liable to slip and fall). Or perhaps they have cognitive problems, which can cause a variety of accidents. Whatever the situation, a medical alert system can quickly get them the assistance they require.
Our unique medical alert system was created with ease of use and simplicity in mind. The pressing of a button or voice activation is just two of the many ways you can activate it and contact one of our operators. The components themselves are also discrete and won’t detract from the design of any room.
Carefully Choose Their Room
Your senior parent should ideally reside in a ground-floor room with easy access to a bathroom. Choose a downstairs bedroom instead, even if the upstairs bedroom has an en suite. They won’t have to make as many journeys up and down the stairs that way. A ground-level room is the best choice, even if you do build a chair lift (which we highly recommend).
Keep the space as uncluttered as you can. Avoid stuffing it too full of furniture, especially dangerous turning and tripping hazards like tables. What you need is a smooth floor and a direct path from the bed to the entrance.
Make the space feel as comfortable and familiar as possible. Include some of their own furniture and décor, if you can. This will help children adjust to their new environment more easily and lessen some of the transitional challenges.
Make Bathroom Modifications
You must pay close attention, especially in the restroom. First, take into account how much space there is for movement and turning. You might need to make some modifications, such as reducing the size of the sink or getting rid of some of the storage containers. The goal is to reduce the likelihood that your parent will suffer an injury from slamming into something.
Install grab bars in accessible locations, such as over the toilet and in the shower or tub. One can be added right inside the bathroom, next to the entrance. Additionally essential are non-slip mats, especially in the shower or bathtub. Make sure your seniors utilize them, but if you don’t like the way it feels beneath your feet, you can take them off when the rest of the family has a shower.
Final Thoughts
Undoubtedly, bringing an elderly parent into your house can be difficult. Fortunately, this change will go much more smoothly than you would have anticipated. Just be sure to get the house ready, make it as cozy and secure as you can for them, and be ready for any problems that may come up. Adaptation & Modification Services is here to help you through any situation.
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