How To Choose Appropriate Care For Your Senior Parents
It is important to choose appropriate care for your senior parents. If you happen to have an elderly parent who is struggling with daily living, then you should look into either personal home care or a nursing home. These are both options for people who need extra help and are no longer able to function independently.
Below are some suggestions to help you decide on what is the best course of action.
How Much Personal Care Is Needed?
The first thing you will need to do is determine how much personal care your senior parents will require. You should consider the amount of work that they are able to do. Can they cook for themselves? Can they clean their home and launder their clothing? Are they in need of assistance doing even basic things such as bathing? All of these questions need to be answered before you decide on the next step.
Live in Personal Care or Senior Living Arrangement
If your parents are able to handle some issues on their own, then you might be able to get by with hiring personal care for them in the form of a home health aid. These aids can come to your parents home and assist with some basics such as laundry and cooking. However, if your parent requires more intensive care, then it might be wise to consider a nursing home or an assisted living facility.
A nursing home is going to offer complete care. It is most appropriate for seniors who require the utmost attention and care. An assisted living facility is designed for seniors that have less need for intensive assistance. In many cases, an assisted senior living facility might resemble an apartment. The main difference is that there will be on call nurses or medical personal as well as laundry services and dinner services.
Decide on Your Budget
The last thing you need to do is determine what your budget is. This will help you filter out certain facilities that are outside of your budget. You should then take that budget and contact the nursing homes and discuss additional funding in the form of health insurance or government assistance programs designed for the elderly.
Most nursing homes and assisted living facilities will have financial aid departments that will help guide you through the process. However, it is your responsibility to have all of your paperwork and budget plans in order before sitting down with the advisor so that you can get a clear answer.