Caregiving: Family caregivers often look at the benefits of moving in with their parents.
Almost half of all family caregivers live with the person they’re caring for. Does that make caregiving the best choice?
Granted, it’s easier to provide the care if you’re under the same roof.
Plus, older family members’ houses are often paid off, while family caregivers pay a mortgage or rent. If you didn’t have those living expenses, you could cut back on your work hours.
You commit and sell your house. You move in with your parents to help out. A month later, everyone is miserable. You worry that you’ve made a colossal mistake. What do you do when moving in with your parents just isn’t going well?
Discuss and Resolve the Conflicts
You’re all adults. It’s time to sit down and discuss where the conflicts are and how to resolve them. Your dad is upset that he doesn’t have the bathroom to himself. He found your teen daughter’s make-up on the counter. You’ll have to remind her to put things back when she’s done.
Your mom is annoyed that you’ve taken over her kitchen. Work with her to make sure she doesn’t feel left out. She’s used to cooking dinner, but now you’re doing it. Let her help. Give her tasks you know she can handle and cook together.
Does Your Parent Have Alzheimer’s or Another Form of Dementia?
Personality changes are expected in Alzheimer’s, and it also makes it very difficult to handle. Your mom flies into a rage accusing you of stealing her shoes. After tearing the house apart, you find her shoes in her pajama drawer. She hid them there, but she won’t remember.
When dementia causes paranoid or delusional behaviors, your parent won’t be the same. It would help if you had a backup plan in place. If you find your usually sweet mom is impossible to handle when the rage begins, you may want to hire professional caregivers to help you care for her.
Take Breaks When You Can
Everyone needs space for an arrangement like this to work. If your parents need constant assistance, you can still have time alone. Talk to a home care specialist and ask about respite care services.
Respite care is an important part of home care where caregivers go to their client’s home to provide breaks. Your parents have the help they need while you take your kids to the beach. You could use caregivers to have a day off to go shopping with your sister.
Caregivers are the best way to have the breaks you need. You’ll return to your parents’ house refreshed and ready for the next caregiving task on the list.
Sources:
https://www.aarp.org/content/
