14 March 2007
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It is difficult enough to pick up roots and change residence for just about anyone, but when it involves moving your elderly parent out of a lifelong home, it can be heart-wrenching. You worry if they will have a hard time adapting to their new environment, and you feel nervous about making the right choice for them.There are almost too many options available, no longer limited to just the old folks~ home as they once were. You will find the solution for your parents' health and security in one of these.
In most cases, senior citizens don~t want to be removed from their homes, and some actually decline in health when forced to do so. For just such a situation, families can now opt for In-Home Services. A rather extensive menu of tasks can be provided for your parent ~ such as shopping, yard work, housecleaning, cooking, errands and other necessities ~ for a fee. This can be expensive, depending upon the amount of services that are needed, but is ideal for the family that can afford to do so, and also includes in-home medical attention, if needed.
A new concept called Adult Foster Care may be available for those who qualify from local social services.With help from the agency in caring for themselves on a day to day basis, the elderly are able to remain in their own homes.This help includes housekeeping but may also extend to preparing meals and assisting with personal hygeine such as bathing, and dressing. The Social Services Department of your local government can give you information.
If moving out of their own home isn~t an issue, but they don~t want to live in a specific senior living facility, then a shared home environment might be best. In a case such as this, you might be able to find a homeowner that has the room and facilities to accommodate your elderly parent and, in some instances, are willing to perform certain services for them, such as the provision of food, housekeeping, errands, etc. Services of this type can often be negotiated into the cost of housing, but may only be offered on a fee-per-service basis by some.
Another new concept that has been introduced into the area of senior care are Senior Group Homes. Seniors have the opportunity to live independently, but have the company of like-minded seniors. The advantage is that your parents are in a supervised environment, so there is less worry. Usually, a group home would consist of a group of seniors who share one house and agree to share expenses such as rent, meals, housekeeping, utilities and common expenses. Personal services are paid for independently.
Many seniors seek out an Independent Living Retirement Community. This is ideal for those who can ~ and prefer to ~ live independently, but are looking for a service package that will meet their needs in the areas of meals, housekeeping, security, transportation and activities. This type of option tends to be geared toward active seniors.
Assisted Living Facilities are very similar to Independent Living Retirement Communities, except that facilities such as these also provide personal care services to the elderly residents. For example, if your parent needs assistance with medications, bathing, dressing and grooming, then this would be the more appropriate environment of the two. Depending upon the number of seniors, these can range from private homes that can house a few individuals to a large facility that~s more institutional in its design.
If an elder parent is disabled to such an extent that they need constant, ongoing medical care, a Nursing Home is probably the only option. The seniors living in these facilities have little independence, but the state of their health would not allow that in any case. A Nursing Home provides an environment that is closely monitored 24 hours a day. This is usually your last resort in eldercare.
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Author: Antone Sperane
Antone Sperane is the owner and operator of Yo Senior, inc. which is a premium resource on the Internet for senior information.
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