We’ve all endured a lot in the last year. If you were already thinking about moving your senior parents closer to you, the extended time apart, wide-ranging health concerns, and a renewed passion for our closest relationships might have you considering moving your aging parents closer more and more seriously. Here are four important benefits of moving your aging parents closer.
1. Expand What You Give
If you’re a caregiver for an aging parent, it’s love that motivates you to do what you do – and the primary benefit you’ll get from moving your aging parents closer is that you’ll be able to give them more of that love. When our parents live across the country, we can still be engaged with them and even communicate daily, but there are limitations on the help we can provide.
Helping elderly parents move closer might allow you to assist with activities of daily living, like meals and medication, and it will definitely put you in a better position to help if any hospitalizations or emergencies occur. You’ll also be able to monitor your parents’ health, regularly assess their care needs, and be an informed advocate for them in conversations with their care team.
2. Manage What You Give
As much as we want to give more, moving aging parents closer might be just as much about not giving too much – and keeping the stress of senior caregiving at a manageable level. Whatever your plan for your aging parents is, making sure your own physical and mental health are a part of care conversations will be crucial for the plan to work.
Senior caregiving is a huge job, and you’ll want to make things easier for yourself where you can. Moving your aging parents closer means visiting them will be much easier, and you’ll spend less time in transit. You may also spend significantly less money if you no longer need certain care services to support them or a travel budget to see them. Ultimately, moving your parents closer may help reduce your own emotional and financial stress.
3. Simplify Their Lives
Of course, if we plan to move our parents closer, we want the move to make their lives better. A move that brings you all closer together may lessen some of their burdens; such as reducing the physical distance will open up possibilities for connection and give them confidence that your support is nearby. If they’ve been living in a home that requires upkeep, a move can also be a great time to consider downsizing and freeing them from the responsibility of maintenance. Working with your senior parents to declutter and downsize while respecting the importance of independence and dignity will benefit everyone.
4. Plan Proactively
As part of a proactive plan for care, moving your aging parents closer can be a great way to prepare for the road ahead. While it can be hard to open up senior care options with your parents, planning helps to set realistic expectations for everyone, and it can help you and your parents navigate any scenario that may come up in the future. A move will naturally open up some important questions to consider, such as:
- What’s the health of their finances? How will they be affected by the move?
- What health care options do they need now? What help might they need in the future?
- What senior living communities are available? What senior care options do they offer?
If you’re considering local senior living communities for your parents, Riley Crossing offers a full range of living options to make sure you’ll find the perfect level of care, and if you’re looking for more caregiver tips and resources, you can read our latest news.