How To Support Elderly Parents Without Taking Over?
Caring for elderly parents can be tough. As children, we want what is best for our parents and of course, we want to repay them for all they have done us.
Knowing how and when to step in and care for elderly parents can be tough. We want to help them as they get older and start to struggle but it can be hard to take a step back and not take over.
This can especially difficult when it’s clear our loved ones or elderly parents need help but don’t need to go into a home or require full-time care. Knowing how much care to give and how involved to be in an elderly parent’s life can be a tough one so here is our advice on how to support elderly parents without taking over.
How To Help Your Elderly Parents Keep Their Independence
Independence is important to everyone, no matter how old you are. It’s something we spend our lives trying to get so it can be difficult when this is taken from you.
As our loved one’s age, you might notice that they are struggling to do tasks that they once found easy. Sometimes simple tasks and chores like climbing the stairs, standing for a long time to cook, or leaving the house for shopping can suddenly become huge tasks that they might struggle with.
If your loved one is struggling to complete some of these tasks, they might need some extra help around the home or they might need to move into a home that is more suited to their needs. This way they can still live on their own and remain relatively independent but still have access to help and facilities if they need them.
How To Support Elderly Parents Without Taking Over?
It can be difficult to know how much help a loved one needs, especially if you don’t get to see them all the time and can’t properly gauge how much help they need. It can be very tempting to want to move your loved one closer, to sheltered housing or to a bungalow or flat nearby that is more suitable for their needs.
Sadly, it can take a long time to find a place like this that is available and even then, you might not be eligible or have to wait a long time before you are accepted. So, moving a loved one closer can be a challenge and isn’t always the best solution.
It might be better for you to move your loved one closer, but that doesn’t mean you should move your loved one into your house. Having a loved one move into your house might seem like a good idea. You can keep an eye on them and always be there if they need you, but having an elderly loved one move in with you can have its downsides and challenges.
Your house may not be suitable for an older person to live in, especially if your house covers multiple floors, has a lot of stairs, or is only designed for a small number of people to live in. On top of this, your elderly loved one may need extra facilities or additions to make their time in your home more comfortable. If this is the case, then you might have to spend time and money converting certain areas of your house and adding features like handrails and stairlifts to your home.
Most of all, having a loved one move in with you can damage their sense of independence. It’s important that your elderly parent still feels like they have some sense of independence and to do this they need to have a place of their own.
How Can A Granny Annexe Help?
A granny annexe is a great way to move your loved one in with you but still give them their own space and let them live independently.
This way they will always be easy to reach and close enough that you can easily pop round to help with anything and to just check on them if ever you worried. A granny annexe is a perfect way to keep a loved one close and in your care without needing to share your home plan your day around visiting them and travelling to see them.
With a Family Annexe granny annexe, you can keep your loved ones safe and close for as long as they need meaning you don’t have to worry about them being out of reach. Without the uneasy stress and worry of not knowing how your parents are doing, you can enjoy this new chapter of your lives together as a family.
Get In Touch
If you would like to find out more about granny annexes, get in touch with Family Annexe. We have six unique annexe models available, each providing a safe and cost-effective solution to elderly care.
Family Annexe has an efficient seven-step process, designed to make your annexe experience stress-free and enjoyable. This starts with a free, no-obligation consultation!
