6 Questions to Ask When Choosing Senior Housing

Moving your loved one to senior housing is a big decision, but one that can provide you and your elderly parent with the peace of mind that they have a loving community to watch over them as they require more medical care, or a community of like-minded friends to keep them company while you’re working. How can you find the right place to call home for your elderly parent’s next stage of life? 

As you interview senior housing options, we encourage you to ask the following questions to make sure you know what your options are:

• Do you have licensed nurses on staff 24/7? In-home medical care?
• What kinds of on-site amenities do you offer?
• What are the costs of living in your facility? Does it vary by level of care?
• Can my elderly parent age in place and receive flexible care?
• How much independence is available for a resident that doesn’t need a high level of care?
• What kinds of activities are available? What is the community like? 

You’ll want to tour the facilities you’re considering for your elderly parent with them, if possible, so you both get a sense of whether it’s a good fit. Your elderly parent might surprise you with their feelings both positive or negative about what’s going to work for them in the next stage of their life. Keep the lines of communication open, and remember not to feel guilty that you can’t do it all yourself. You’re doing your best, and there’s support for your family.

We wish you all the best in making the important decision of which senior housing facility to trust with your loved one’s care. You can learn more about Hillside Terrace’s flexible senior living amenities and senior daily activities. If you’d like to tour Hillside Terrace and meet our caring staff, please call (734)761-4451 to make an appointment.

How to Tell When It’s Time to Search for Senior Housing for An Aging Parent

Deciding on moving an elderly parent into senior housing can be a stressful decision for your family, but also one that can result in more relaxing time spent with your loved one while someone else cares for their physical needs. But how do you know when it’s the right time to search for senior housing for your parent? 

You might want to search for senior housing if you’re experiencing the following:

• Your elderly parent has physical needs you can no longer keep up with.
• You work long hours, and can’t be home with your elderly parent.
• You have other family obligations that take you away from giving your elderly parent the care they need, such as social support or rides to medical appointments.
• Your elderly parent is starting to need in-home medical care.
• Your elderly parent is struggling with loneliness, or might be concerned with lack of privacy.
• Caring for your aging parent is affecting your marriage, your children, or your parent in a way that isn’t sustainable.
• You’re starting to experience burnout, exhaustion, or frustration trying to keep up with the needs of your parent.
• You don’t have a home that’s wheelchair or walker accessible, which poses a mobility barrier or pose a potential fall threat.

Those are all signs that it might be time to look for senior housing to get more support in caring for your aging loved one. You might be surprised to find that if you start a discussion with your parent about their feelings and thoughts on a potential move, they might have a different perspective than you expect. 

It can be stressful to start a discussion about a potential move, but raising the topic keeps communication open and can show respect for your loved one’s feelings on a big life change. You might even bond over agreeing on the decision to move on to the next stage of housing together.

Hillside Terrace is a flexible, caring community for senior housing in Ann Arbor. We’d love to show you around. Call us at (734)761-4451 to make an appointment to meet the staff and residents. We can’t wait to meet you and your loved one!