Preparing Your Home for Your Senior to Move In

Having your senior move into your home with you can be a fantastic way to improve your care efforts and enjoy a stronger relationship with them as they age. This can also relieve financial strain, eliminate the need to maintain a separate house, and enable you to balance care for your children and parent, as well as other obligations in your life. In order to make the most of this new arrangement and help your parent to get the most benefit from living with you, it is important to make sure your home is prepared ahead of time. This preparation makes the home more accessible, safer, and more comfortable for your parent, and also makes the transition and arrangement smoother for the rest of your family.

Use these tips to help you prepare your home for your senior to move in:

• Ensure the entrances to the home are safe, secure, and accessible. This may mean making modifications to the porches or stairs so they are more usable even if your parent has mobility issues
• Identify your parent’s space within the home. They should have a private sleeping area that is not used for other purposes and that can be locked. This space should be for their private use and other members of the family should not have access to it without your senior’s authorization
• If your home has more than one bathroom, identify the one that your parent will use the most often. This is likely the one closest to their bedroom or to the living area. Make meaningful modifications to this bathroom to make it safer and more accessible, such as replacing the conventional toilet with a raised version and adding grab bars
• Purchase new linens, towels, and other supplies for your home to accommodate the extra person
• Create a welcoming environment for your senior by decorating their space and adding details from their current home. Remember they will likely struggle with not having all their belongings with them and having a few important items with them can be comforting and reassuring

Even if your senior has made the transition to live with you and your family, elder care can be very beneficial. An elderly home care services provider offers customized services specifically designed to help your parent manage their challenges and needs, enjoy more activity and mental stimulation, and pursue a fulfilling lifestyle as they age in place. When living in your home, these services can help your parent to feel more independent, and preserve your parent-child relationship through more quality time and better mental and emotional health.

If you are considering elder care in Hilliard, OH for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Lantern West Health today at 614-594-7474.