Many of you know that my Mom, Laura, lives with me. It’s an arrangement that works well for our whole family. We are right down the road from my brother’s house, making it easy for Mom to help out with her grandchildren. I wish she had lived with me when my son was younger and still living at home. It’s a big help having Grandma around. Since we write this blog together, it’s so convenient for us to be under the same roof. Blogging can be a 24/7 job at times. Thanks to Premier Care Bathing for sponsoring today’s discussion about aging parents – something that affects all families.
Since Mom retired, I have really been pushing her to travel and see the world. Just last week, I tried so hard to convince her to go with a travel group to Europe for two weeks, and again she resisted. She finally told me that she wants to spend what time she has left with her grandchildren, not traveling the world. How can I argue with that? We’ll have to stick to family vacations.
Family is a priority for Mom, so as she ages I want to be prepared to make whatever changes necessary to our house to keep her living at home with family. She is still very active and in good health for her age. In fact, she is quick to point out that she gets around better than I do. Yet, as I saw with my Grandmother, this can change at anytime.
Mom is really enjoying her golden years, doing things with her grandchildren like trips to the aquarium and craft projects.
My Mom has spent her entire life taking care of her children and grandchildren, now it’s time for us to start thinking about caring for her.
Creating a Safer and More Comfortable Home for Aging Parents
We all care about having a safe and comfortable home. As our parents and grandparents age, there are some simple and inexpensive changes we can make to ensure our aging loved ones stay safe. Here are a few changes I plan to incorporate in my own home, as Mom gets older. They might be helpful for you as well.
1. Move furniture around. Something as simple as moving your furniture around can help prevent falls and accidents. Move things around to ensure there is plenty of wide open space to get around, and cover any sharp corners or edges.
3. Consider purchasing a new bed and/or bed rails. An adjustable bed can be beneficial for seniors, making it easier to get in and out of bed and sleep comfortably.
4. Alerts or call buttons. There are many different products available that your loved one can use to call for help with the press of a button, in case of an emergency.
5. Bathroom safety. Install rails in the bathroom. Consider investing in a walk in tub. Stepping over the side of the tub is dangerous for the elderly. Premier Care in Bathing has walk-in tubs, which are great for aging parents, or anyone with pain, arthritis, stress, or physical disabilities. Visit the Premier Care website to grab a brochure, and learn about their monthly payment options starting as low as $150.
Have you thought about how to make your home more comfortable for your aging parent?
I have too say this is a great tub for my Mom too use with her bad back & knees love too get for her someday soon thanks for sharing this
I Hope you are Having a Wonderful Wednesday! My Parent have Always Been thee for Me & I Will Always be there for them! They have taken Care of me My Whole Life S the Least I Could Do is Return the Favor! I am 33 Years Old & I Had to Move Back in with My Parents b/c I Was in a Motorcycle Wreck and I Can Not Work at the Moment! They have Always Helped me When I Was in Need & I Will do No Less than That For Them! Thanks & Have a Blessed Day! Jana
I think the walk in tubs are a beautiful idea, I love my baths!
I’m not ready for my parents to get older. I’m still so dependent on them! But I know that at some point I’ll need to start helping them to make adjustments.
You have a wonderful Mom and it is great everyone gets along so well. I think we should have our family members stay with us instead of homes etc. The extended family member values are important for sure. I think she loves you more than going places which is neat. Thanks for sharing. I did click on the link with the bathtub too.
My parents at 72 and 74 are still very independent but are beginning to slow down. We have recently been looking at nearby homes to move them closer to me or I am very open to having them move into our home so that I can be there for them and take care of whatever they might need.
jweezie43[pat]gmail[dot]com
To be honest… I want a shower like this for my parents and for myself too. The bathroom is super dangerous for all ages and I think it is super important to install all the safety measures that you can. I have fallen in the shower before. Thanks for sharing this post it is super important.
I love what your mom said about spending time with her grand kids. I bet everyone loves having her around.
Your family is so lucky that everyone is so close by. Unfortunately, that’s not the case for my family. All of hubby’s family is in India. Hubby, our daughter, and I live in Florida. My parents live in Wisconsin and my brother, SIL, and niece in PA.
Hubby and I lived in WI for 12 years before we moved to FL. The proximity and emotional support was priceless.
This is something we are going to have to think of before it’s over with. One set of parents are 12 hours away and the other are 3 hours away. Either way, we are the kiddos who will be taking care of the parents, so something to really think on