There are few things more distressing than seeing an aging family member losing touch with reality, especially if they were previously the head of the family. Seeing the same face that effortlessly made big decisions now crippled with doubt will stick a big dent in your decision-making process – something that will do neither of you any good.
To get out of this particular downward spiral and start making the right choices for your loved one and yourself, you need to look at the possibilities going forward, figure out if they are long or short terms solutions, and work out all of the logistics that surround each option.
Can They Stay at Home?
Of course, an ideal decision might be for them to stay where they are but make modifications to their environment so they can enjoy a better quality of life at home. This might involve:
- Moving their bedroom downstairs
- Turning the downstairs bathroom into a shower room
- Modifying the kitchen with more appliances for dishwashing and cooking
You might also need to think about changing the flooring so that it is level and there are fewer things to trip and stumble over, especially if some type of walking aid is now part of your loved one’s life. These changes will come at a price, but in turn, will give your senior relative a greater feeling of independence.
Living with a Carer or Family Member
Sometimes though, things have gone past that point. It might be that they were living with their spouse, and they muddled through life’s daily tasks together. However, the death of that other person means they cannot do everything for themselves alone. In cases like this, they need someone with them at significant times in their day, such as mealtimes, bedtime, and bathtime.
This doesn’t have to be you; it could be a professional who spends part of their day with your loved one making sure their basic requirements are met. This level of dependency might be a better fit for your senior family member’s mental health, so they don’t feel like they are losing complete independence and control.
Moving to a Specialist Care Facility
These might be only temporary solutions, as the situation might eventually get worse with age or any degenerative conditions they might have. When it comes to looking for care, you need to find one that fits in with the person that they once were. This will allow them to be surrounded by the principles and beliefs they lived their lives with, which can provide great comfort for them with so many other changes taking place. For example, if they are a person of faith, you might want to find specialist memory care services suited to religious people.
Such places will also take care of all of the basic needs, and your loved one will be cared for by and living with like-minded people who share their values and faith with whom they can connect and make the most of their golden years.
The best orthodontist in Vienna also adds that you should also check the packages that the senior home offers. This is because some facilities include health checkups while some don’t.
Final thoughts
When a senior family member needs care, you might feel like you are backed into a corner and need to make a rapid decision. However, while the level of care they require might not be your decision, the environment they receive that care can be, and you need to pick the one that allows them to live their lives with dignity.
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