There are a plethora of reasons why your elderly parent is due to move in and share your home with you and your family, from temporary stays due to recovery from an operation, to permanent relocation. Regardless of the reason, it is important to be as prepared as possible to ease the transition for both your loved one and yourself.
With this in mind, continue reading for a comprehensive guide on how best to prepare your home ahead of your elderly parent moving in to live with you and your family.
1. Declutter Every Room
Decluttering is one of the easiest and relatively simple ways of making your interior living spaces significantly more accessible, as well as contributing to a general atmosphere of calm and tranquility from which your whole family will benefit.
Take any pieces of furniture that are just positioned out of the way in the back of the room to a local charity shop or recycling plant, throw away boxes of old paperwork that you will certainly no longer need, and ensure that the house is kept as dust-free and clean as possible.
2. Plan Meal Times
The stress and time consumption of having to plan two or three meals every night to feed yourself and your family can become decidedly monotonous and it is important to ensure that these feelings are not exacerbated further when your mom or dad comes to live with you.
Take time to find out what types of food your parent enjoys at different times of the day and if they have been diagnosed with the chewing and swallowing condition dysphagia, it would be a good idea to stock up on the effective and affordable Simply Thick food and drink thickener which will make eating their meal more enjoyable.
3. Their Room Is Their Space
Obviously, there is no suggestion here that you are planning on rushing in every morning, pulling back the curtains, and demanding your parent rise early for the day, however, it would be prudent to remind both you and other members of the household that your parent’s room is their own space and aside from for a specific purpose, you have no business being there at all.
Respect the boundaries of their personal bedroom and belongings at all times.
4. Start New Hobbies Together
Spending quality time together is one of the most important things of all between parents and their children and one of the brilliant advantages to having your elderly parent move in with you is the abundance of time you will have together.
Obviously, there is nothing better, especially in the cold winter months, than snuggling up and watching movies together, but a great idea would be to start up a new hobby class or at-home activity at the same time. Sharing experiences and making new memories is utterly priceless and you can both discover this new, shared passion together and at the same time and pace.
