What You Should Know Before Moving Your Loved Ones In with You

“When your loved ones reach that point in their lives, you might start considering moving them into your home. There’s a lot to consider when choosing between assisted living, a retirement community, or moving your loved ones in with you.”

Watching your parents and loved ones age can be bittersweet and sometimes feel overwhelming. As we reach our golden years, sometimes the activities of daily living (ADLs) can start to become a challenge.

Here’s what you should know before moving your parents or loved ones into your home on a long-term basis.

It Can Be More Budget-Friendly

The cost savings of having your loved one share your home is one of the primary benefits to choosing home care versus assisted living

Instead of having to spend thousands of dollars on a retirement community or assisted living, your parents and loved ones can save that money - or even contribute it to you as a form of rent payment.

If you are already helping to take care of them, they can also use those funds to pay for family care while they live under your roof. You can read more about the benefits of family care versus assisted living here.

Living Together Can Provide Relief from Isolation

For seniors, loneliness and isolation can lead to a range of negative health impacts. According to the CDC, social isolation increases the risk for several diseases and conditions such as depression, dementia, and premature death.

Moving your loved one in with you can be a solution to social isolation. While moving to a retirement community or assisted living can also provide social opportunities, there’s nothing quite like the comfort of living with family. It not only fights loneliness and depression, but it can also make them feel loved, heard, and seen.

It Can Be More Time Commitment & Less Alone Time for You

Despite its many benefits, moving a parent in with you who needs frequent assistance or care, means you might have less free time for yourself. This can put added stress on you, especially if you’re balancing a full-time job in addition to caring for a loved one.

Caregiver stress is a real issue that some face. Sometimes you might even feel caregiver guilt for not devoting enough time to your loved one. Just remember that no one is expecting perfection from you.

You’ll still have off-days or days when you just need some alone time to recharge mentally and physically. That’s ok! Give yourself some grace and keep moving forward!

What Level of Care Is Needed

You should also consider what level of care is needed before moving your loved one into your home. If only occasional care is needed, then you might feel more than capable of handling the extra responsibility.

However, if your parent needs 24-hour care and support, you might consider hiring an in-home caregiver to help you split responsibilities so that you don’t get burnt out. Remember that full-time care facilities (like assisted living facilities) might be a better fit. This is especially true if you feel like you can’t provide the level of care that your loved one needs.

Reap the Rewards of Living With Aging Loved One

There’s no place quite like home. That’s why sharing your home with a loved one that needs just a little bit more assistance can be highly rewarding. Not only will you help relieve isolation and loneliness, but you can also help them live out their lives in peace, knowing that they’re getting the care that they need and deserve.

Blackstrap MediaJuly 1, 2021