When Mom Needs A Little Help: Promoting Independence While Providing Her The Care She Needs


It isn't easy to get older. With the continual loss of friends and family members, aging brings many challenges in this lifetime. Once mom begins to lose some of her independence, she may begin to feel like less of a person, and more of a burden on the family. By facilitating a little help for mom, it's possible to continue to promote independence while at the same promoting her independence.    

Assess the Situation

If you feel that your mom needs some help, but you just aren't sure what to do, call in a professional agency to assess your mom's living situation. If you aren't sure who to call, you can't start by calling your local senior center to see what resources are available. It is possible to find a professional who will visit your mom, observe her current skills, and develop an in-home plan that will help keep your mom safe yet independent. 

If Mom is No Longer Safe in the Home

Sometimes parents are so good at hiding their own lack of independence, learning that they really require more supervision can be shocking. While there are a number of steps that can be taken to ensure safety within the home, there may come a time when mom is no longer safe being home alone. While putting up grab bars, ensuring the stove is not plugged in and removing tripping hazards throughout the home will help at first, when mom is no longer safe it is time to move on to a more structured living environment.

Independence Within a Structured Environment

Nursing home care is no longer the only option for elders who can no longer live safely at home. With independent and assisted living facilities all over the country, it is now possible to get care and remain as independent as possible. With assisted living, residents may still have their own apartment, but staff will check on them regularly. Meals will be provided in a dining room, but the resident might have a microwave in their apartment and choose to heat up a meal on their own.

In an assisted living situation, your mom will be able to take care of all her own needs with the guidance of staff that are there to support her. If she needs medication reminders, staff will let her know it's time to take her medication. The goal of assisted living is to promote independence and the least restrictive setting possible for the safety of your loved one. Contact a local independent living situation, such as Mayfair Village Retirement Community, for further assistance.

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It can be a huge shock to your loved one as they transition from independent living to life in a nursing home. In some people, this can lead to depression. However, there are many things that you, as their family, can do to prevent this from happening. My name is Brittney and I know this all to well. My father transitioned into a nursing home and he began to slide into depression. However, thanks to amazing caregivers and resources on the Internet, we were able to help him live a happy life. I created this website with the hopes of helping others learn what helped us to prevent the same thing from happening to their family.

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