At some point in their life, a person might no longer be able to live independently. Due to strokes, falls, or other concerning health issues, families prefer to have their elderly relatives living with others where they can be cared for in times of need. There are a few reasons why you might have chosen to care for an elderly relative at home. It could be because you did not feel right about putting them in a care home and would prefer to have them around family. Alternatively, the cost of moving them into a care home could have been too expensive. If you have chosen to care for your elderly relative at home, here are some things you should consider to help make it easier for everyone in the household.
Insurance
You should look into finding out if you qualify for Long Term Care or LTC insurance. It is worth getting some protective cover if you are going to be acting as a primary carer for a relative and could help you afford certain aspects of their care or treatments. Having another individual living in your home, especially one with specific needs, will result in your living costs rising; therefore, having insurance could help you later down the line.
Hire Help
Although you may not be able to afford to move your relative into a care home full time, you should certainly think about hiring a professional care worker to come and help once or twice a week as an alternative. Your elderly relative might need a lot of help with their mobility, assistance in the bathroom, or perhaps are even suffering from conditions such as dementia. All of these things can be very difficult to face on your own, and having a trained medical professional visiting your home during the week will help to give you a break and an opportunity to ask for expert advice on how you can care for your relative.
Modify Your Home
You might need to make some modifications to your home to help your elderly relative get around easier. For example, support bars in the shower or next to the toilet to help them get up and down from the seat. These modifications will vary in cost, but they could be essential in making your home more comfortable for your elderly relative and reduce the risk of accidental falls.
Get Support From Other Family Members
Whether it is the other members of your household or those who do not live under your roof, make sure that you are getting support from the rest of your family. While you may have decided to take your elderly relative in, this does not mean other family members do not have some duty of care, too. You need time to yourself as much as anyone else does, which is why they should be coming over to let you have a day or afternoon to yourself while they look after your relative.
It is a noble thing to bring an elderly relative into your home and care for them, but it is not easy. It can be a significant change to your daily life and, at times, overwhelming, which is why you should consider the suggestions above and see how they can make looking after your elderly relative a little bit easier.
