How to Plan Long-Term Care for Your Senior Parents
We all want our loved ones to live long, happy, and healthy lives. So thinking about the realities of what could happen is never a pleasant experience. Regardless, planning ahead is critical.
Everyone has different preferences for life as we age. Some may prefer being in a care facility, while others prefer to age in place with in-home care. Either way, it's time to consider the long-term care for your senior parents and build a roadmap to use now for preparation.
Senior Helpers is proud to be a resource for seniors and their families in Central Houston, TX. Here are some things to consider when planning long-term care with loved ones.
Understanding What Long-Term Care Means
No one is going to predict how long they may need long-term care in a facility or with a live-in caregiver. Discussing this with parents may lead to extensive conversations about the what-ifs. Some parents may say not to worry when we all know anything can happen, including living years with medical issues.
One can at least look at the potential risks for whether in-home care would ever be warranted. For instance, what are the ages of your parents? Is one of your parents widowed and living alone?
Other things to think about include the lifestyle of your parents. Are they eating well and still exercising? If the answer is "no" to both of those questions, they could become more vulnerable soon to poor health.
Also, any family history of illness needs thinking over carefully. Some family members are more vulnerable to cancer, diabetes, or heart disease based strictly on being hereditary.
What Type of Long-Term Care Should They Have?
Various long-term care options are available for seniors living in Houston. A popular choice is hiring an in-home caregiver based on maintaining the comforts of familiarity.
Parents living in the same home for decades obviously never want to leave after generating so many memories. They never have to with in-home caregivers being a more popular option. If ever facing a declining memory, having them stay at home gives them continued reassurance.
Many other long-term care options for senior parents are available, like companion care, personal care, and transitional care. The latter is designed to transition from a care facility back to living in a personal residence.
Additional care choices exist for specific illnesses ranging from Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's to numerous chronic diseases.
Is There a Financial Plan Available?
Paying for long-term care is another big hurdle to contemplate. Most financial investors say that creating a long-term care fund should start as early as possible. This is separate from a retirement fund. A long-term insurance policy is another option.
While not every family will find it easy to save for long-term care, any money invested toward long-term care provides a security blanket. The good news is hiring an in-home caregiver is now more affordable than living directly in a facility, something not everyone realizes.
How Long Might Long-Term Care Go On?
Preparing for how long a parent might live with long-term care also needs some deeper thought. One statistic has those living more than five years after turning 65 at 20% now. Many people live for 20 or more years beyond retirement age.
With proper care at home or in a comfortable facility, quality of life always goes up. It provides senior parents comfort and their kids peace.
At Senior Helpers in Houston, we're here to help you find the best options for long-term care. Contact us to learn more about our consistent senior care in Central Houston, Houston, and Harris County, TX.