The physical decline of an elderly parent does not often happen without warning. Your parent may no longer have the strength or stamina to mow the lawn. Later, he or she may find it challenging to go up and down the stairs or carry baskets of laundry. Before long, simple cooking or cleaning is exhausting for your parent, and then he or she is unable to care for basic hygiene without help.
Although this may be a slow progression, it may be difficult to face the facts and take steps to ensure the wellness and safety of your loved one. This includes exploring the options for long-term care.
What is best for your parent?
Long-term care is no longer synonymous with nursing home. Your parent has many choices, including the option of remaining home with skilled assistants providing different levels of basic care. However, you and your parent may want to investigate the alternatives in your area of Ohio for facilities such as these:
- Retirement living allows your parent to live independently with access to services and amenities such as housekeeping and community events.
- Assisted living allows your loved one to opt in to various levels of care, including medication management, help with getting up and showered in the morning, or meals.
- Nursing homes offer more skilled care, around-the-clock supervision and help with daily tasks if your parent suffers from a chronic illness.
- Memory care residents often reside in a separate unit of a nursing home because they require assistants who have skills for dealing with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
- Skilled nursing facilities provide medical care and therapy in the event your parent should require extensive assistance, such as following a stroke.
In some cases, you may be able to find all these options on one campus, which is what a continuing care retirement community offers. Your loved one would have the advantage of being able to transition from one level of care to the next as he or she ages or experiences a decline in health.
Of course, none of these options is cheap, and it is unreasonable to imagine your parent could save enough money to pay for the necessary services alone. You and your loved one may have to do some careful planning and balancing to ensure your parent receives the level of care she or she needs and deserves. Speaking with an estate planning attorney may provide you with answers to your many questions and options you had not considered for paying for long-term care.
