At some point, you and your senior may decide that having her move in with you is the best option. That solution can give you the opportunity to be closer to her to help her more often and it helps her to know that she’s not moving somewhere that she’s been trying to avoid.
Decluttering Before Packing Is Going to Help
It might be possible for your elderly family member to bring everything she wants to bring with her, especially if you have the space to encourage that to happen. But that’s not necessarily the case for every situation. Your elderly family member may need to find another solution for some of her belongings, and that might mean decluttering a bit before she starts to pack. This can be a great time to make sure that family members who expect specific pieces of furniture or belonging are able to enjoy them now, while they also still have your aging family member.
Do a Space Assessment
On your side of the equation, it’s vital that you do a bit of a space assessment. How much space can you allocate to your senior? Ideally, she should be able to have her own bedroom, bathroom, and maybe even a sitting area to relax in. But not all houses and families have that sort of space that they can allocate. Do a safety check of the home and determine where you can make small improvements, like adding grab bars, to greatly improve safety for your senior.
Tackle Urgent Safety Issues Right Away
If you find any larger safety issues, like stairways that aren’t safe for your elderly family member or that are not accessible for her, determine what you need to do to correct those situations. It’s often easier to correct some of those problems than it appears at first. Working with an expert in senior safety can help you quite a bit.
You May Still Need and Want Help
It’s entirely possible that even with your senior living with you, both of you still need some extra help to meet her needs. Bringing in elderly care providers is a great way to get that additional help and to ease your mind about safety concerns. They can help you and your senior to develop a daily routine that works for all of you.
Moving in with you may be the right answer for your senior, even if she’s been trying to stay in her own home.
