How Should You Prepare for an Elderly Parent Moving In?

To prepare your home for an elderly parent to move in, discuss both of your expectations and household budget needs, reconfigure furniture to make it easier for them to move throughout the home and, in some cases, modify the home for wheelchair or walker accessibility.

Seniors often have specific care needs due to chronic medical conditions, physical mobility issues or level of cognitive impairment. If you don’t have a plan in place for dealing with your parent’s unique challenges before they move in, you could quickly become overwhelmed with the arrangement and with trying so hard to make things work that you put your own health and well-being in jeopardy.

Most older adults prefer to stay in their own homes, even when their physical or emotional health begins to decline. Over time, physical and mental decline may make it too difficult for your loved one to live alone, and if you can’t afford the cost of an assisted living community or nursing home, it may be easier to move them into your home rather than living in constant fear that something might happen while you’re not with them.

While each family situation is different, look for some common signs that may indicate that it’s time to relocate your parent into your home:

• Your parent can’t safely get to important areas of the home, such as the bathroom or kitchen, without assistance
• Your parent is neglecting personal hygiene or other personal care tasks
• Your parent’s previously clean home is often messy and/or cluttered
• Your parent isn’t taking prescribed medication or treatments
• Your parent’s memory or cognitive function has recently declined
• Your parent seems frequently depressed, emotional or apathetic about things that they were once passionate about

Aside from communicating expectations, concerns and needs, you may need to make changes to your home so it’s more senior-friendly. If your parent uses a walker or wheelchair, consider making home modifications, such as installing a wheelchair ramp or widening interior doorways. If your home has a lot of clutter, you’ll need to clean it out and reconfigure furniture to make it easier for your loved one to maneuver through the home. It’s a good idea to evaluate where you can install better lighting and safety features specifically made for seniors, such as grab bars in the shower.

• 4 tips on Downsizing for Seniors
• What to Consider Before Moving Your Elderly Parents Closer to Home
• How Do You Know if You Should Downsize Your House?
• At What Age Should You Downsize?
• What Are the Risk Factors for Relocation Stress Syndrome?
• What Effects Can Moving Have on the Elderly?
• Is it a Good Idea to Move Someone With Dementia?
• How Do You Move Older People?