Circle of Life – Find out more on Nursing Homes

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Often children are faced with the dilemma of how to best care for their aging parents. The situation becomes more complicated if one parent has already passed, leaving the other to fend for her or himself.  However, most parents still want to live independently and do not always welcome the idea of moving in with their children. The idea of putting them in nursing homes often leads to heated arguments and lengthy discussions among family members.

Nursing homes are a great alternative, but it isn’t for everyone. Before making a decision on the matter, here are some pros and cons to consider.

Advantages:

The elderly value their social lives and prefer to be around people their age. Most nursing homes keep their residents on a busy schedule, with recreational and interactive activities that foster their sense of community.

Majority of nursing homes are staffed with doctors and nurses who are on call 24/7. This is a big advantage if you have a parent with a medical condition that needs constant monitoring.

Accidents in the home or break-ins are just a couple of safety concerns for aging parents. Nursing homes have been outfitted to house the elderly and provide them with comfort as well as security.

Disadvantages:

Nursing homes do focus on building community spirit among its residents. However, for elderly persons, they’re still not family. Aging parents who are bed-ridden or suffering from dementia often want to be looked after by their own.  The lack of family presence often leaves the elderly lonely and depressed.

These facilities have trained personnel and come at a cost, this is why most nursing homes charge their residents steep fees. Ideally, your parents would have saved for their retirement, but if this is something you and other family members would be paying for, the cost can burn deep holes in your pockets.

One disadvantage of leaving your parents in budget nursing homes is the lack of trained personnel to watch over the residents. Unlike bigger nursing homes, there are other facilities that are sadly lacking in upkeep and manpower.

After weighing the pros and cons of nursing homes, it is ideal to have a heart to heart talk with your aging parent. Ask for their opinion and how they would feel about staying in a nursing home. If they don’t agree to it, there are plenty of other options that can be explored.