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!