Instructing a Real Estate Broker

Don't Overlook These Important Advantages of a Retirement Home

by Natalie Adams

If your parents are becoming elderly and need to decide if they should remain in their own home or move to a retirement home, you want to weigh these options carefully. Many elderly persons prefer to stay in their own home, but there are many advantages of a retirement home to consider. Note a few of those here so you and your parents can make the best decision regarding their living arrangements.

No maintenance or yard care

Living in a retirement home means your parents don't need to worry about home maintenance; if their current home is in good repair, you may not think this is very important, but don't overlook lawn care and other such outside jobs. Moving to a retirement home means there will be no need to cut the grass, trim the hedges, shovel snow, and the like.

You also won't need to manage tasks that all homes need, no matter their age and state of repair, such as cleaning out the gutters, installing weather-stripping around windows when winter approaches and changing furnace filters. If your parents are not physically able to manage these jobs, you would need to take time from your schedule to care for their home, whereas living in a retirement home means little to no maintenance work.

Companionship

Retirement homes usually provide lots of companionship for their residents; they may schedule activities for everyone, or they may have a rec room or other such area where residents can socialize, play cards, or just watch television together. This type of everyday companionship is good for an elderly person's mental and emotional well-being, especially if one parent is now on their own.

Physical safety

A retirement home can ensure the physical safety of your parents in a variety of ways; one way is that the staff may check on residents regularly, or they may have an on-call alarm system that a resident can use to summon a member of the staff in case of a fall or other injury. Also, a retirement home may be constructed with the safety of seniors in mind; stairs and hallways may have nonslip surfaces, or there may be plenty of elevators available so a person can avoid the stairs altogether. Hallways, bathrooms, and other such areas may be outfitted with safety rails, and bathtubs may be replaced with walk-in showers to reduce the risk of a slip-and-fall accident. It can be expensive to retrofit all these features into your parents' current home, so choosing a retirement home with these features installed can be the better option.

Share