Your parents’ safety should be paramount in your mind as they get older. Aging in place has become a popular alternative to nursing homes or even living with children when they get older. The problem is, it’s easy to put off making plans for your aging parents’ future when it seems so far away. However, the worst decisions are made during emergency situations, and that’s the last thing you want to happen to your family.
From where your parents are going to live to the type of health insurance they need, quite a few decisions need to be made before the time comes. Below you can find a few tips to help prepare for your aging parents’ future to get you headed in the right direction.
Check into Medicare coverage
The first thing you need to do is compare Medicare plans for your aging parent in your area. The days when simple Medicare was handed out to seniors and you dealt with the coverage you received are long gone. Instead, many companies offer short-term and long-term plans with different prices. You want your parents to have only the best coverage, so make sure to do your research and choose the plan that is best for both of you.
Hold a family meeting
Communicating with your aging parent about the future is essential and should be taken care of as soon as possible. Though no one wants to think of their parents as getting up there in age, it’s a fact of life that everyone has to deal with. Holding a family meeting now to determine how you’ll go forward will save your family a ton of trouble on down the road. The important thing is to let your parent be at this meeting. Schedule a time when all immediate members of the family can attend and make decisions together. These decisions should include your aging parent, because it’s their life you’re deciding on.
Weigh housing options
One of the most difficult things about getting older is often having to give up everything you love to move somewhere you can be taken care of. Know that it’s going to be hard to give up the independence they have enjoyed for a number of years and respond by being patient and kind when having this conversation.
Long gone are the days when seniors moved into a nursing home or with their children to live out their last days. Instead, they have many options available now from assisted living to aging in place and even in-home care.
Aging in place
Many seniors today choose to age in place, meaning that you should consider this option for your aging parent with the care and attention it deserves. The aging in place design options are numerous, but it’s important to modernize your parents’ home before they reach the age where it’s a necessity, if they hope to stay in their home in retirement.
Everything from the kitchen to the upstairs bedrooms should be modernized and designed with your parents’ age in mind. For example, an open design is better, because it allows better mobility and can make the space seem larger. If your parents have chosen to age in place and are able to physically and mentally do so, you want to get started on that remodel right away.
These are just a few of the best tips to help you prepare for your aging parents’ future. From aging in place design options to proper health insurance coverage, taking care of these things early will ensure your parents future is bright and safe.