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6 Tips For Transitioning Your Elderly Parent Into A Care Facility

Transitioning your elderly parent into a care facility can be a difficult task fraught with emotion – for both you and them. They would have spent most of their life taking care of themself, and then in the latter part of their years, they now have to suddenly deal with someone else making the rules […]

Transitioning your elderly parent into a care facility can be a difficult task fraught with emotion – for both you and them. They would have spent most of their life taking care of themself, and then in the latter part of their years, they now have to suddenly deal with someone else making the rules and setting their schedule.

If the transition is not planned properly, that sudden change can be jarring for your parent. The result is that they are reluctant to make that transition, which makes things harder, and more traumatic for everyone involved.

Below are six tips for making this transition more manageable and comfortable for you and your elderly parent.

  1. Start At Home

As our parent’s age, they become more and more reliant on others to take care of them. That reliance will vary substantially from person to person and can include small things like making their meals and ensuring that they have taken their medications, to full-on care, including helping them go to the toilet and bathing them.

If you’re in a situation where you know that the best course of action is moving them into a managed care facility, the easiest way to do that is to start at home. Introduce home help slowly beforehand by hiring a caring person to come to their house three to five times a week – that way, they get used to having someone taking over before they move out of their family home.

  1. Don’t Rob Them Of Their Independence

Independence is such an important thing. If you’re not careful with this long-term care transition, your mom or dad could end up feeling like they have no control over their own lives. Nothing good ever comes of that, and most of the time creates a psychological and emotional downward spiral that can be difficult to come back from.

Be as patient and understanding as possible during this time, they might act out, but that is only out of fearing the unknown – which is both natural and understandable. Encourage them to contribute to the decision-making processes as much as possible along the way.

  1. Research Your Options

The move from independent or family home living to professional care needs to be a delicate journey. It is a total change of lifestyle for your mom or dad and often one that comes gradually.

Sometimes the need can arise suddenly after injury, which is why fall prevention methods are critical for older individuals. Before exploring managed care options, look into other options like using assistive technology or in-home help – if those don’t work, start researching facilities and choose the one that will take the best care of your parent.

  1. Find The Right Facility

Finding the perfect care facility for your ageing parent is never easy. It is stressful, and you may find yourself struggling with feelings of guilt along the way. You need to realise from the start that it is the best thing you can do for your parent if you cannot offer them the same level of care and attention.

The best way to choose the perfect facility for them is to visit your top three choices and make your decision based on several factors. The facility needs to feel like a home away from home where your parent will be safe and well taken care of. Ensure that you thoroughly inspect the surroundings and environment and talk to the staff and existing residents.

  1. Visit As Often As Possible

The only way to know that your elderly mom or dad is getting the best care humanly possible is to visit them as often as you can. Although our lives are hectic and our schedules are jam-packed, you need to carve out time to visit them, so the transition is easier on you both.

Modern technology allows us to keep in touch remotely, but physical contact is a vital component of wellbeing.

  1. Manage Emotions

This process is not an easy one. Your parent might not understand why it is necessary and will not make your life easy. You need to understand that those feelings are only natural, and despite how guilty it makes you feel in the beginning, you need to act with their best interests at heart – whether they realise it or not.

You will each learn to manage your emotions and expectations over time, and, ultimately, you will find the balance that you need to make this new living situation work for you both.

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