Considering moving a parent into a residential nursing home or exploring other forms of residential care for elderly loved ones is often one of the most stressful times in a person’s life. It can feel even more overwhelming if there’s time pressure involved as well, for example, if you’re looking for a residential nursing home so your parent can leave hospital following a fall or other accident.
Knowing whether the time is right, and which residential nursing home your parent would like the most, is tough, so we’ve put together this guide to support you through the process and help you explore the best elderly parent care solutions for your family.
Are Residential Nursing Homes the Right Elderly Parent Care Solution?
While many older people cope well living at home with regular visits from a domiciliary care company, there are a few signs to watch out for which can tell you it’s time to start looking into residential nursing homes. These include:
- Poor hygiene – many factors could lead to poor hygiene in an elderly parent. Mobility issues could make it difficult for them to wash themselves in the bath or shower, and this can be compounded by any challenges around incontinence. A lack of energy could make washing or getting dressed into clean clothes feel like a herculean task.
- Falls – as we age, we lose density in our bones and muscles which make it much easier for us to seriously hurt ourselves if we fall. If your parent is regularly falling or getting hurt when they’re home alone, this is one of the clearest signs that your elderly parent may need a nursing home as they’re simply not safe at home on their own.
- Memory loss – there are many different types of dementia and memory loss happens at different paces for different people. However, if your elderly parent has reached a point where they are forgetting to eat or drink, or to take their medication, or struggling with incontinence because they can’t find the bathroom, these are signs your elderly parent may need a residential nursing home. If your elderly parent’s memory loss has progressed, dementia care homes may provide the specialist support they need.
- Low mood – loneliness and isolation are increasingly common problems amongst older people, particularly if their families don’t live nearby or their partner has recently passed away. This can lead older people to become withdrawn or depressed, whereas if they move to a residential nursing home, they’ll have the opportunity to make new friends and get back into activities they used to enjoy, such as gardening, baking, or discussing current affairs.
Benefits of residential care for elderly parents
There can be many benefits of residential care for elderly parents, from improved health to growing new friendships and enjoying activities in groups. Having the support they need to have their basic needs met, especially around nutrition and hygiene, significantly contributes to overall wellbeing, and making new friends can lead to increased happiness.
There are also many benefits to families. Knowing your elderly parent is somewhere they will be looked after and kept safe can feel like a huge weight being lifted, and having the opportunity to visit them whenever you choose just to have fun together lets you go back to being their child first and foremost, rather than their carer.
How to choose the best residential nursing home for elderly parents
If you think the time may have come for your elderly parent to think about moving to a residential nursing home, there are many factors to consider when looking for the right one. Different homes provide different kinds of care and different levels of support, so it’s important to compare residential care home services and find one which fits your parent’s current and future needs.
It’s also important to think about financing your elderly parent’s care and understand the cost of residential nursing homes in your area. Financial support is provided in some cases, but the requirements for meeting this vary in different parts of the UK, so it’s important to get independent advice on this. Care can be very expensive, so take time to really understand your financial options.
The most important thing when choosing a residential nursing home is to take your time, and involve your elderly parent in the decision-making process as much as possible. Make a shortlist and go to visit the homes you’re considering, with your parent if possible, and then discuss what you’ve seen.
Pros and cons of residential nursing homes
As with all types of care, residential nursing homes have both pros and cons. The benefits of residential nursing homes include:
- Peace of mind that your parent is receiving the best care for elderly parents in a safe, professional environment
- Having all your elderly parent’s care needs met and the associated boost in overall wellbeing.
- The opportunity for your elderly parent to make friends and embrace new hobbies, or rediscover old ones.
On the other hands, residential nursing homes are not for everyone and some possible issues you may want to keep in mind include:
- The cost of residential nursing homes – care can be very expensive.
- Perceived loss of independence can make the move into a care home feel frightening.
- Continuity of care – not all residential homes will provide ongoing support for advancing conditions, so it’s worth considering homes that also operate as dementia care homes or have specialist nursing teams.
If you’d like to learn more about Aria Care residential nursing homes near you and the residential care home services we provide, explore our homes near you to see how we can support your family.
