Living with Loved Ones - Care is There

One of the most important decisions families make is where their elderly loved ones should live when they begin needing more frequent assistance. One option is for the elderly person to move in with family members, or the other way around. But this decision should be made carefully.

“Families where frail, elderly parents move to live with adult children commonly make their decision at a time of crisis - with little time to assess the implications or consider other options. Residential or nursing care is virtually a taboo topic that neither the children nor their parents are willing to discuss…Children are motivated by a strong sense of duty, yet the arrangement often places family relationships under severe strain.” (per the Joseph Rountree Foundation: see their research study here.)

“One of the most monumental decisions to be made about aging parents is where they will live,” says Molly Edmonds at Howstuffworks.com (read the full article here). “Each option has pros and cons…. Generally, the dwelling decision will probably boil down to how much supervision and nursing care your aging parents need…. If they need a little more supervision, options include assisted living or a group home…. All of these options, however, can be expensive, and often, grown children will bring their parents under their own roofs. To some, this may be a cost-cutting measure, while others couldn't bear the guilt of putting their parents away in some institution. Bringing a parent home is not even a question to consider in some cultures; it's just what's done.”

If you would like a consultation to find out if living with your loved ones is right for you or if you would like help creating and maintaining a plan of Support For Independent Living, Care Is There Can Help.

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