We see it happen quite often in television dramas. It’s a scenario we all wish never to have to deal with. Sadly, many people do face having to decide “what to do” with an elderly loved one. More often than not, the elderly loved one in question is their own parent.
One of the main causes of this being such a struggle is because there’s a choice. One of the choices means a lot of work and, potentially, a lot of stress on your part. Another is what some would coldly consider “the easy way out”; that is, to send the elderly person to a nursing home.
Of course, it’s not as clear cut as some people make it out to be. Most people who want to send an elderly loved one to a nursing home is doing it for the good of the person in question. Taking care of someone is such a massive responsibility. Your ability to do it properly is going to affect the quality of their life moving forward. I would question the empathy capabilities of anyone who would condemn the use of a nursing home.
But is it the only option? What’s supposedly so bad about going to a nursing home, anyway? To a large extent, the problem rests with simply being away from home. As someone in their mid-twenties who has only lived in their current residence a couple of years, I know I’d hate the idea of leaving this place for good. What about someone in their later years who has probably lived in that home for over a decade?
There are actually ways to get assistance while the elderly person stays at home, though. So often, these situations are portrayed as something with only two options: start living with the elderly person, or “send them to a home”. But your elderly loved one can get the additional care while staying home. You can read more about it at https://www.homeassist.us/.
But is it just being away from home? There are two other leading reasons why people don’t like the idea of being taken into a nursing home. One of them is the perceived loss of independence. This part of being in a nursing home tends to be exaggerated, however. They’re often portrayed as prisons where the residents are no longer allowed to do anything for or by themselves. But many nursing homes allow great amounts of independence. Learn more about the importance of this independence at http://www.cotavic.org.au.
The other leading reason has to do with being taken advantage of. Another popular television drama plotline sees the defrauding of the elderly by people at care homes. However, you should rest assured that this is not a widespread practice. Find out more about fraud aimed at the elderly at http://www.forbes.com/.
Whatever decision you make, you must make it with them. Include your elderly loved one in these discussions. If you leave them out of the conversation, then they’re going to feel undervalued and out of control of their lives. And whatever happens, they should be in as much control as they are able to be.
Comments are closed.