The decision to move your parent to a nursing home is one of the most difficult decisions you must make as an adult. In the moment, it’s hard to tell if you’re making the right decision for them.
For many adult children, they opt to care for their parent themselves. This can take over your life and leave you feeling burnt-out because of how overwhelming it can be to do it alone. Sometimes, you must face the hard decision, but when do you know it’s time?
Are you able to provide the right care if you choose to be a caregiver?
If you try to become your parent’s full-time caregiver, are you able to give them the care they need and deserve? For many people, it’s hard to juggle a career, children and 24-hour care for their parent. Leaving for work for eight hours becomes difficult to achieve. Depending on what your parent needs, they may always need to be watched. If you cannot provide this kind of care, a different option must be explored.
How intense is their dependence?
For some, injuries and illnesses are becoming increasingly frequent. For others, health conditions affect their ability to function in a day to day setting. When you are constantly worried if they’ll hurt themselves or they are regularly confused, you know that action needs to be taken. For some families, 24/7 care from an at-home nurse is too expensive and they can’t take care of their parent like needed. A nursing home, at this point, is the best option for the well-being of your parent.
What does your family say?
When you are trying to decide what’s best for your parents, you can’t place the burden of the decision on your shoulders. Reaching out for advice from family can be very beneficial. When you’re second-guessing if it’s time, talking to others can ease your stress. They may give you the confirmation that you need to make the right decision for the situation.
Asking a professional what they think is also a good way to gauge if you’re making the right choice. Your parent’s doctor knows their health and can help you see it from a different point of view. Their doctor can tell you how dangerous it would be for your parents if a change is not made.
Knowing when you should be your parents in a nursing home is hard. You never want to do anything that isn’t for their best interest. When their health is becoming too difficult to manage, a nursing home may be the best way for them to live a happier and healthier life with the care they deserve.
