Protecting Your Choices
COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENTS
WITH CUSTOMIZED PLANS
FOR OLDER ADULTS
When It’s Time o Leave Home
• Advocacy across a variety of disciplines in a
time of uncertainty
• Solving short term care needs and assisting
in long term care planning
• Specialization and professional representation
for Medicaid applications and entitlements
• Assistance in accessing Veteran benefits
Aging Life Care Specialists
We provide service to assist older adults, families,
and care givers to find safe, affordable solutions.
716-823-1476
[email protected]
www.eldercarewny.com
“ Embrace seasons past…
Begin life anew.”
Assisted Living Community
410 Mill Street ~ Williamsville
716.632.3000
www.park-creek.com
~ Three home-cooked meals
~ Stimulating social,
educational & recreational
activities
~ Personalized care &
medication management
~ Affordable Memory Care
Program
~ Now Offering Enhanced Care
30 WNY Family March 2019
T
he decision about whether
your parents should move is
often tricky and emotional.
Each family will have its own reasons
for wanting (or not wanting) to take such
a step.
One family may decide a move is
right because the parents can no longer
manage the home. For another family,
the need for hands-on care in a long-
term care facility motivates a change.
In the case of long-distance caregiv-
ers, the notion of moving can seem like
a solution to the problem of not being
close enough to help. For some caregiv-
ers, moving a sick or aging parent to their
own home or community can be a viable
alternative. Some families decide to have
an adult child move back to the parent’s
home to become the primary caregiver.
Keep in mind that leaving a home,
community, and familiar medical care
can be very disruptive and difficult for
the older parent, especially if they are
not enthusiastic about the change. You
might first want to explore what services
are available in your parents’ community
to help them in their home — including
home health care, housekeeping, person-
al care, and transportation services.
Older adults and their families have
some options when it comes to deciding
where to live, but these choices can be
limited by factors such as illness, ability
to perform activities of daily living (for
example, eating, bathing, using the toi-
let, dressing, walking, and moving from
bed to chair), financial resources, and
personal preferences.
Making a decision that is best for
your parent — and making that decision
with your parent — can be difficult. Try
to learn as much as you can about pos-
sible housing options.
Older adults, or those with physical
limitations or illness, can choose to:
Move to a smaller, one-story home
where daily tasks are more easily
performed and which would, pref-
erably, be closer to family members
who can assist when needed.
Move to a first-floor apartment in
a 55+ community, where stairs are
not a problem, laundry facilities are
often in the unit, a maintenance staff
takes care of any repairs, and social
activities are offered.
Move to an assisted-living facility
Move to a long-term care facility
Move in with a family member
Some families find a conference call
is a good way to talk together about the
pros and cons of each option. The goal
of this call is to come up with a plan that
works for everyone, especially your par-
ent. If the decision involves a move for
your mom or dad, you could, even from
a distance, offer to arrange tours of some
places for their consideration.
Experts advise families to think
carefully before moving an aging adult
into an adult child’s home. There are a lot
of questions to consider. You must think