We all have different relationships with our parents, good or bad, loving or hateful. But at the end of the day, strong family ties compel us to take care of them when they grow old and frail.
Depending on the circumstance, some families prefer to keep seniors with them so that they could spend their remaining years with their children. However, the most common practice to ensure that they are adequately taken care of is to have them in an institution for the elderly.
Its physical features
It is necessary to thoroughly investigate the institution, not only its services but also the accessibility of its facilities. You can even consult the contractor of the medical facility to know the intentions of the building from the start. Some homes were not built for seniors, so some features might discriminate against the elderly who have particular medical conditions.
For example, they might boast of a recreation area that is not convenient for the elderly who are partially blind. While feedback on their amenities can be great, you never know if your parents will be able to enjoy these. Check if someone in a wheelchair can access all of their facilities.
Although common sense stipulates that a home for the elderly will be considerate of the mobility of seniors, make sure of it. What of their emergency exits? Will your parents be safe should there be an accident? Visit the institution and have a thorough check before deciding on it.
Recreational programs
The elderly are prone to becoming more senile if they are no longer active mentally and physically. This is why many retired individuals weaken faster than those who are still working at an old age. They don’t have anything to occupy themselves anymore.
It is crucial for the institution to have active programs. Socialization areas are quite common, but not all seniors are sociable. Check what their options are for those who prefer quiet time but need to strengthen their minds and bodies. Some institutions offer yoga for seniors. Some organize fishing trips, hiking, and other physical activities regularly. Ensure they have enough activities so that your parents would not get bored enough that your visits will be the only highlights of their lives.
Individual care
If you want to make sure that your parents will have an attendant all the time, see if the institution offers this arrangement. You can ask your preferred caregiver to assist your parents. But if they offer their staff, make sure that they are professionals who have had adequate training and experience in working with the elderly.
Assisting the elderly is not the same as helping out a young person who has been incapacitated, for example. Their minds and worldviews would not be the same. Their needs would not be the same. Your parents might reach the time when the sharpness of their minds starts to deteriorate, and they will behave like children. Make sure that the person next to them has the patience and know-how to handle the tantrums of the elderly.
The other elderly in the institution
Just like it is crucial for children to be with the right peers when growing up, your parents must be with a good crowd in their final years. Having to endure the company of insufferable individuals will make seniors miserable because they are more sensitive at this age. Maybe when they were younger, they could tolerate noisy and boisterous characters. But now, they want some peace.
Take the time to check who else is in the institution. You might want to take the initiative of talking to the elderly’s children to know more about their character. Although you might decide that you like the crowd, also ask your parents. After all, they are the ones who live there and deal with their neighbors.
Finding the right institution for parents should be given value. It is not enough that your friend recommended it or that you’ve read excellent feedback. The preferences of your parents differ from the likes of other people. Take this primary consideration when you entrust your parents to the care of others. If you can’t take care of them yourself, it’s the most you can do to make sure they are comfortable and contented in their final years.
