Seniors For Living

Multigenerational living is definitely making a comeback (read our post, Senior Housing Trend Watch: Multigenerational Homes, to learn more). More families are opting to have their senior parents or relatives move in with them, or in some cases, families are moving in with their parents.

Amy Goyer, a writer for AARP who specializes in multigenerational and family issues, shares her personal experience of transitioning her parents — and herself — in recent years. First, her parents moved to a senior living community in the Phoenix area, and Goyer relocated from Washington, DC, to live in her parents’ home and be their caregiver (as we’ve written in previous posts, family members must still be involved in care, even after a move to a community). She writes about her parents’ declining health and mobility, and a number of difficult family issues, that caused them to choose a different plan (after intensive research): they would move back into their home, with her. (You can read the full article here.)

Whether you choose to transition parents or relatives to senior housing, or to bring home care services into your home or theirs, there will be a period of adjustment for everyone. Be prepared for changes, challenges, and ups and downs. Communicate clearly, and often, to make sure that everyone is comfortable with the changes taking place, to make sure that everyone’s needs are being met, and to make sure that concerns are being expressed.