What Should You Consider Before Moving Your Senior Family Member into Your Home

Before moving your senior family member into your home, there are several things you need to consider to make sure it’s the best choice for everyone involved and to ensure your family member receives the care and support they need. You may need to evaluate if your home can safely accommodate them, the amount of support you can provide, and your finances.

Here’s what to consider when making this decision to ensure in-home senior care is the right choice for your family member.

What to Consider When Moving Your Senior Family Member into Your Home

Your family member’s needs may have an impact on your decision, so it’s important to take time to carefully consider the effects of your decision and how being a family caregiver fits into your daily life.

Safety Accommodations

One of the first things to do is to evaluate your home as it currently is and the modifications that you may need to make to accommodate your family member. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 4 older adults fall annually, so it’s important to take a really critical look at your home and evaluate all the areas that could cause problems for your family member and what you can do to make those areas safer.

First, does your home have stairs leading up to your front door or leading to a second floor? Older adults may currently be able to manage stairs, but even a minor fall can change that ability. This may require you to install ramps outside and ensure that everything they need—such as their bedroom, bathroom, living area, kitchen, linens, and other necessities—is on the first level of your home. Alternatively, does your home need an electric stair lift to help your family members move between floors, especially if they have mobility concerns or a wheelchair? Moreover, can your home accommodate this renovation?

Is there an accessible bathroom for your family member, and does the bathroom have safety features to prevent falls? The bathroom is a slippery and wet environment, which can lead to falls. Grab bars are essential in the shower and by the toilet to provide extra stability, and a shower seat and an adjustable showerhead may be beneficial extra security measures. Add nonskid bath mats inside and outside of the shower to provide extra traction when entering and exiting the shower and decrease the risk of falls.

Next, consider the lighting in your home. Low vision is a large contributor to falls, and adding lighting can be a quick fix that makes your home safer. This is especially important in hallways, stairwells, and outside your front door. Add night-lights along pathways to prevent falls in the night, and utilize other lighting solutions, such as push lights or string lights, in areas that aren’t well-lit. However, make sure that any cords are secured to avoid them becoming tripping hazards. You may also want to consider hiring an electrician to install new overhead lights to avoid potential hazards.

Evaluate your floor for tripping hazards, such as cords, clutter, boxes, and rugs. You may need to move things around in your home and widen pathways for your family member to move around safely, especially if they use a cane, walker, wheelchair, or other mobility aid. Completely remove rugs from your house—even securing them can cause lifting or spots that aren’t completely secured, so it’s best to forego this very common tripping hazard.

Care and Support

Many older adults require dietary accommodations, such as a low-sodium diet, gluten-free options, or a menu that supports heart health. While these diets are beneficial for everyone, it’s important to consider if you’re able to accommodate those modifications, especially if you have other family members living in your household who may have different preferences. 

Additionally, many older adults require a strong focus on regular, nutritious meals. Not only will you need to ensure they’re eating regularly but also that each of those meals is rooted in good nutrition and supports their dietary needs. 

Your family member will also need consistent opportunities for exercise to maintain balance, strength, and mobility. Exercise opportunities should consist of more than just going for a walk—there should also be opportunities for them to partake in a variety of activities that are within their fitness level and ability, such as swimming, yoga, cycling, and strength training.

While considering what you can do to care for and support your family member, it’s important to think about how your family member will get to appointments. For example, will you or your partner be able to take time off work to take them to their appointments? Will a sibling or other family member be able to help with some of these duties?

Lastly, consider how much support with activities of daily living (ADLs) your loved one requires. ADLs consist of activities such as bathing, toileting, eating, grooming, and personal hygiene. They may need assistance with these activities often, so it’s important to think about your schedule and if you’re able to meet your family member’s ADL needs while balancing your other responsibilities. Additionally, it’s important to consider if you’re comfortable providing this type of in-home senior care.

How Senior Home Care Will Affect Your Relationships

Caregiving is a rewarding act for many, but it’s important to be realistic about your limitations and how caregiving will impact all of your relationships. Think about others living in your household and their feelings about having your family member move in. Also consider how being a caregiver may impact your relationship with your partner or children and the additional stress this could place on them and your relationships.

How will being your family member’s caregiver impact your relationship with them? Would caring for them be a positive experience for you, or would it be stressful? Do you feel obligated to perform these duties? Also consider the history of your relationship with them to determine if you can live together peacefully, especially with you in the role of caregiver.

Are you prepared to manage the stress that caregiving may present? As you step into the role of a caregiver, it’s essential to ensure that you have a support system, ways to manage stress, and a network of friends and family who can help with tasks and prevent feelings of burnout. Caregiver support groups are also incredibly beneficial for developing connections and sharing ideas with others who are in similar situations.

Social Opportunities

When your family member moves in with you, they may be leaving their social network and friends behind, which is a large adjustment. This factor, combined with plenty of potential alone time if you and your partner work during the day, can lead to depression and loneliness from social isolation.

Before your family member moves into your home, it’s essential to plan ahead for ways to help them find socialization opportunities. For example, are there hobby groups or senior centers nearby where they can meet others and participate in things they enjoy?

Also consider transportation to and from these activities—do you or your partner have the capability to help transport your family member to these events? It’s important to make sure your family member has a fulfilling life outside of your house and the caregiving relationship. A large part of this is ensuring they have access to a social network and the ability to participate in things they enjoy.

Finances

In-home senior care can be quite costly for many reasons. You may have to make renovations to your home to ensure it can safely accommodate your family member. Additionally, there will be extra monthly housing expenses, such as larger grocery costs. 

If you decide to seek additional senior home care help through a professional caregiver, you’ll also need to consider those additional costs. If you’re cutting back on work hours or leaving your job to take on full-time caregiving responsibilities, it’s critical to consider how that will impact your income.

A A Fulfilling Alternative to In-Home Senior Care

Senior living communities take all of the above challenges into consideration, creating a fulfilling and personalized environment where residents can thrive. Finding a community near your family home where your family member can receive regular visits often results in better outcomes for both yourself and your family member. 

At Cedarhurst, we strive to create a welcoming and enriching atmosphere tailored to each person in our independent living, assisted living, and memory care neighborhoods. Find a Cedarhurst community near you to see the difference our communities make today.

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