While there are many things we can plan for in life, even the unexpected, but just as many that we cannot even begin to anticipate. When your parents’ health begins to deteriorate, there are a lot of things that you’ll need to consider and accommodate.

Caring for a loved one can require a considerable amount of time and personal attention—especially for a permanent deterioration of health following a med event like a stroke or serious fall.

In fact, caregiving may require more skilled help than you are able to offer on your own.

Seeking outside senior care is, of course, something we would like to consider as a last resort. Ideally, we would love to be able to care for our loved ones with minimal intervention.

Sometimes, however, that simply is not possible. Time, distance, and other circumstances can make the difficult decision to find an eldercare provider easier to make, though, as in many cases, there are no reasonable or sensible alternatives.

When considering the variety of senior support services available, it’s best to research and understand the options for care available before you contact any services. This kind of pre-planning is one of the best tools you can use to ensure your loved ones receive the care and attention they need, and more importantly, deserve.

First Steps

Understanding the nature of your loved ones health issues starts with a thorough assessment from a medical profession. But health concerns are only one piece of the puzzle. A comprehensive review of mental, physical, environmental, and financial condition helps you to determine whether or not it is safe for your parents to live alone or if they will require senior care or other support services.

It’s important to note that these are quite thorough, and can take anywhere from a few hours, to a few days. Knowing exactly what your loved ones are able to handle on their own will help you make the most informed decision possible, especially if you live or have to remain out of town for any length of time.

For Your Consideration

It is critical that your talk to your parents now, before any debilitating event occurs, so that you are aware of any plans or provision that your parents have already made for their care, lest you find yourself in the unfortunate position of having to decide about senior care or support services without the knowledge of whether or not you’re following their wishes.

Of course, it is estimated that 45% of seniors have made no plans for when they can no longer live independently, and 26% of seniors have no plans for later in their life in general.

But it is still important that your loved ones are included in any and all discussions concerning their care. Knowing what your parents are thinking, what they want, and how they expect you to provide those things is key to finding and providing successful senior care.

Understanding what your loved ones’ expectations are for their care can help to give you a much clearer picture of what kind of assistance will need to be provided for them now and in the future.

You Have Options

Choosing to entrust the care of your loved ones to someone else is never a simple or easy decision to make.

Retirement communities can provide continuous care. Assisted living facilities offer only as much help as necessary to allow your loved ones to remain independent and self-sufficient as they are able. And there are numerous in-home care providers that offer both medical care and personal care services.

Making the right decision comes down balancing the needs of your loved ones with what you are able and willing to provide.

It may seem like a long road ahead, but you do have options.