January 25, 2021 | Health, Lifestyle

It does sound very delightful – the idea of aging at home.

You get to grow old in a comfortable setting surrounded by the friends you’ve had for years with your family right around the corner from you. Unfortunately, this idea for some is more of a fairytale than an actuality. Friends move from the neighborhood, family members get promotions and head to different parts of the country, and that comfortable home you’ve known for decades has now become an inaccessible nightmare. Now, aging at home doesn’t sound too pleasant. It sounds much better to be in a personal care or memory care community! 

It’s true, for some lucky individuals the stars align, and they can remain in their own home for many, many years. For others, living communally in a Personal Care or Memory Care community is the healthier choice, not only for their physical health but their mental health, too. 

Have the Conversation

You may notice that your loved one is having a more difficult time living at home. There may be a few signs that hint at this, and if you’re unfamiliar with what those signs may be, we ask that you view our checklists. Nevertheless, whether it’s difficulty cooking for one’s self, having issues going up and down the stairs, or just trouble keeping up with the general maintenance around the house, you’ll need to talk with them. 

Perhaps they’re having smaller issues that can be fixed, but they might also be experiencing larger ones that can really only be solved through some daily assistance. It’s not an easy conversation, we know. However, many seniors fear a Personal or Memory Care community, because they view it as the end of their independence. It’s important during your talk that they know this is NOT the case. 

In fact, small personal care assistance throughout the day only leads to more of an independent lifestyle. With fewer chores in their life, they can spend more of their time socializing with friends or doing activities they used to love. Let them know that this is not a community where they’re just resigned to their rooms. Activities are planned daily, common rooms are always filled with bright, smiling faces, and anything they need is always right at their fingertips. If anything, our Personal Care and Memory Care communities help seniors take back their active lifestyle.

Manage Assets

The first question anyone asks when they’re thinking about moving mom or dad into a Personal Care or Memory Care community is, “Do I have to sell their house?” And yes that is a big task. We understand why it might make you hesitant to begin the whole process in general. Not to mention, you might not want to. Their home is your home. It could potentially hold all of your childhood memories in there. 

Luckily, there is nothing that states you have to sell their home first in order to move into a specialized care community. It certainly does not have to be the first action you take. In fact, depending on how well your loved one saved for their retirement, you might not have to sell anything! It all comes down to one’s personal finances.

That being said, care communities don’t come free. There are a few expenses you or your loved one will need to pay, as well as a monthly fee. If there are some assets that can be liquidated to help make a community more affordable, it might be a good idea to do so. A lot of people look for a simple answer when it comes to this issue. This simple answer is there is no simple answer. People’s assets are entirely different from one person to the next. There is no specific set of instructions that we can tell you that would then be the perfect set of instructions for the next person. It all comes down to the individual. 

What we can tell you will take you back to step 1. Your loved one’s finances will certainly need to be brought up during that initial conversation. It may be uncomfortable, but it needs to be done. As soon as it’s all discussed you’ll have a much clearer picture of what you can afford or what you’ll be able to afford in the future. These important details will also help you on your way to step 3!

Moving In

To put it plainly, moving is not fun. We know it, you know it, everybody knows it. There’s nothing enjoyable about packing up everything you have and moving it to another location. Of course you could always hire movers, but that’s another costly expense tacked onto the already costly expense of buying and moving to a new house. That being said, the beauty of Personal Care and Memory Care communities is that we provide everything for you! Your loved one will already have a big comfy bed, fine furniture, and dressers for all of their clothes. The only thing they need to bring is what they want. We told you, care communities are the first step in enjoying independence once again. And it starts with your loved one deciding what’s important to them. They may bring whatever they’d like, and they’re free to personalize their room as much as they’d like. Afterall it is theirs!

We encourage you not to be discouraged by the idea of moving. As stated previously, moving into a community is nothing like moving into a new house. Not to mention, we’ll be with you every step of the way, if you do happen to select The Pathways at Warrington for your loved one. Plus, by this point, you’ve already had the conversation, managed your loved one’s assets, and “test drove” some of the communities. Moving in is the last and final piece! It’s a joyous time for everybody.

Start the Process Today

We’ve laid out the 4 steps necessary to transition your mom, dad, or another loved one into a Personal Care or Memory Care community. Now you’re the one who has to start it! Of course, you may still need a little more help or a little more advice on how to begin. And that’s okay. We’d be happy to help. If you’d like to contact us just click here. You can even schedule a private tour to meet with us face-to-face. Whatever you prefer! As we mentioned earlier, these types of decisions are very, very personal. That’s why we’re here to personally help you along every step of the way. As Alzheimer’s disease or any other form of dementia progresses in the brain of a loved one, it makes it increasingly difficult to communicate with them.