You don’t want to put your aging parents in a nursing home or assisted living facility, but at the same time, you don’t know what else to do. It’s not impossible to have them live with you, but it can be challenging if you’re trying to keep up with your own life and the needs of both your kids and elderly parent. Here are some ideas for creating a safe and functional space for your aging parents that will provide them with independence while also making sure they’re never too far away.
Make Everything Available
If your aging parent has some mobility issues, you’ll want to make sure the bathroom is on the first floor. Move any appliances or furniture they might need to use up and downstairs. If they aren’t able to climb stairs at all, be sure to make the bedroom on the first floor as well. If there are more than one of them, make sure there are rooms for each. If your aging parents can’t live on the first floor, it’s a good idea to put a chair or stool by all of the staircases so they can help themselves up and down as needed. A good chair can be found at https://www.stairlifthelper.co.uk/ and can help if you live in a two or more story house significantly. Your aging parent needs to make no sacrifices in terms of comfort, but you’ll need to make sure their living space is completely safe.
Be Mindful Of Hidden Dangers
Moving things like electrical cords will prevent your parent from getting tangled up in it and causing harm. They’re also likely to have issues keeping their balance if they stumble over something unexpected, so try to minimize clutter as much as possible. Stacking anything too high can also be problematic.
Create A Safe Environment For Cooking
If your parent can cook, you’ll want to have them do so in a space that’s safe for them. If they don’t have the strength to wait for something to boil or bake on the stovetop, consider buying an electric kettle or oven instead. Besides being more energy-efficient, they’re typically easier to use as well. Also, set timers when you leave them in the kitchen to remind them when they’re done.
If your parent doesn’t have the strength to do dishes, consider having them use washable plates and utensils instead of disposables. If this is something they enjoy doing, great! But if they don’t want to do it anymore, you can still give them a feeling of independence by having plates and utensils they can use without you. They can still hand them to you so they don’t have to bend down or reach the sink, but if this is something they no longer feel like doing on their own, there’s no reason why it has to be an all-or-nothing sort of thing. There is always the option to get a machine for washing the dishes and teach them to operate one. It can benefit you as well!
Avoid Needing To Rely On Someone Else
If you make your parent’s room accessible enough, it should be possible for them to take care of the basics on their own. That would include getting dressed and preparing food, but also having space to maneuver around in if they fall or something else happens. You’ll obviously need to assist them with tasks they can’t do on their own, but having a living space is key.
Focus On The Bathroom
A safe and functional bathroom for the elderly will have space to move around, a low sink to make it easier to wash your hands, grab bars in case you slip or lose your balance, a toilet that is a little farther away from the shower, or bathtub so that you don’t need to put up with a stream of water when you’re washing, and a showerhead on the wall instead of overhead. No matter how nice your bathroom is, if the lighting in it is poor, there aren’t grab bars or a showerhead on the wall, and you have to step over the toilet to get in the tub, you risk injuring even yourself, especially your aging parents.
Unfortunately, caring for aging parents can be challenging when trying to balance their needs with the demands of your own life. If you’re looking to create a safe and functional space in which they can live independently while also not being too far away from you, various things need consideration including the layout of the house or apartment, type of appliances used in cooking, and cleaning tasks, accessibility of bathrooms, etc. We hope this article has given you some helpful ideas on how to go about doing so! Good luck with taking care of them!
