Aging is a natural part of life, and it's something you'll encounter both directly and indirectly. At some stage, you might need to organize your life around assisting a senior loved one in their twilight years.
Deciding to become a primary caregiver isn't easy and often requires making drastic life changes. Discussing options with the person and developing a plan that makes it easier is a good idea if you're unsure what to do. While the decision may still be difficult, there are ways to help you identify the right time to step in. The Next Step presents some guidance on knowing how and when to step in and provide effective care to your elderly loved one.
Being on the lookout for a few of the key signals can help you decide when to make the move.
How to Know When It’s Time to Move
Unless you've been through the process of helping a senior loved one before, the details might seem daunting, and you may be unsure about when to get involved. Being on the lookout for a few of the key signals can help you decide when to make the move.
Deteriorating health conditions. Signs that their health might be deteriorating may or may not be obvious. Depending on their openness and personality, they might try to hide worsening health problems.
Financial difficulties. If your loved one seems to be struggling financially and cannot organize their affairs, it could be time to step in and lend a hand.
In addition to these factors, you might want to pay attention to their hygiene, social fulfillment, and mobility needs.
You may be faced with choosing between purchasing a new home, settling them into an elderly care facility, or moving in with them.
Making Housing Decisions
Organizing a feasible housing situation for your elderly loved one is a big part of offering care. You may be faced with choosing between purchasing a new home, settling them into an elderly care facility, or moving in with them.
While you may prefer to find a new house to purchase, renting may be an easier option. Buying a house can be a long process, while finding a place to rent may be relatively painless. Besides, you can always make the decision to buy a house further down the line.
To make it even easier, consider using a rental directory site or hiring a housing agency to streamline the renting process. Fortunately, rental houses in and near Houston, TX, are reasonably priced. You can find two and three-bedroom homes for under $2,000.
If You Do Decide to Buy
Before buying a home, you must be aware of certain prerequisites. A mortgage lender will generally calculate how much you can borrow based on your income and previous debt history. They'll also look at your obligations to determine whether you can make your payments based on your debt-to-income ratio. Once the lender decides you are a good loan candidate, you can get pre-approved and start house hunting.
Moving Your Business
If you are a small business owner, you may need to relocate your business and personal life. This is a big decision, and you may have to decide whether to move your entire office or storefront or work remotely for some time. Whatever you decide, you will need to pack up part or all of your business items. It’s important to label these boxes clearly so you can get your office space set up - and your business back into full gear - as soon as possible. It’s also best to let your customers know about the move and forecast a few delays during a specified period. A warning can help prevent frustration from customers and clients.
Hiring Professional Help
Caring for an elderly loved one, alongside keeping up with your other work and family obligations, is a lot to have on your plate. It might be worth considering hiring professionals to help with housekeeping and garden maintenance to relieve some of the workloads.
Hiring a landscaping service can be a great way to reduce a potentially dangerous responsibility. You can reach out to several landscaping contractors in your area to get an idea of their services. You might find that certain companies in your area are offering deals or long-term partnership packages. However, check legitimate customer reviews to make sure you'll get quality service.
How Will I Know I'm Making the Right Decision?
It can be difficult to make decisions for a parent as they age, but your role is incredibly important in their lives. Keeping a keen eye out for signs of declining health and communicating with your elderly loved one should put you on track to making better decisions. But it’s important that you also take your own needs into account when making care-related decisions. Everyone comes to this place with different needs, and you may find that a support group like The Next Step is helpful, there is even the option of other support groups like CoDA meetings that provide peer support and helpful coping skills. Women Empowering Women Support Groups have CoDA meetings for women only (codawew.org), and Men Empowering Men also have meetings. If you have struggled with addiction and are looking for ways to move forward while helping your aging loved one, you may find this support beneficial.
Article Written For The Next Step By: Sharon Wagner
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