Elderly Living With Family
Family dynamics get tougher when elderly family members are living with you. Families need to consider things like dietary needs, other special needs and the fact that elderly family members have needs like their own space and time. With a bit of work and compromises made on everyone's part, elderly family members can be a viable and loving addition to any family.
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Special Needs
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Many elderly people will have special needs to keep in mind. Walkers and wheelchairs need extra space, and elderly people who are not mobile might need constant care or an in-home nurse. Some elderly people will need special accomodations for the toilet and shower. Installing things like "clap on" lights and amplifiers for the television might come in handy. Assess the special needs of the elderly person who will be moving in, and make sure that they are met.
Dietary Needs
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Elderly people living with you might have special dietary needs. They also might enjoy foods other than what you are used to. Discuss any dietary needs with them and with their doctor, and talk to them about what they like to eat and drink so you can be sure those things are readily available. Also talk to them about whether they will be eating with the family, or whether they would prefer to prepare their own food.
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Space Considerations
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Even if your grandmother loves to spend time with you, she will still need her own space. Elderly people living with families should have their own room to sleep in. It is preferable that they also have a private bathroom. Rooms that are equipped with a telephone, a television and shelves and bookcases are preferable because you can help the elderly person create her own space in which to spend time. She will feel more at home.
Living Their Own Life
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Elderly people who are mobile and active are going to want to live their own lives even while living with a family. Discuss ways that they can use public transportation or your own car, or ways that they can be taken to and picked up from activities. Talk to your local senior center about bus schedules and activity schedules. Elderly people living with a family will need to be able to carve out a life that includes family activities but also includes activities that they can do on their own or with their own friends.
Family Considerations
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Talk to your family before the elderly person moves in to make sure that the family isn't feeling slighted. Children who have to give up their rec room, or family members who aren't used to having someone else around, might need time to adjust to a new family member. Keep an open door policy when it comes to concerns, and talk about how everything should be done to fit the best interests of everyone in the family.
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