At some point, most families that include aging parents have a decision to make: Where’s the best place for them to live? Is it safe for them to continue living in their current home? Should they consider moving to be closer to family? Or maybe a senior living community?
It’s a decision that may need to be made, depending on health issues (or even concerns about potential health issues). No two families have the same set of circumstances, and there may be more than one right choice.
Although it’s ideal to talk about the available options while one or both parents can fully participate in the conversations and decision-making process, sometimes it isn’t possible. Life has a way of catching us off-guard.
If this is a decision you’re facing, consider the following benefits of seniors moving closer to family.
More Opportunities To Deepen Intergenerational Bonds
One of the main reasons older adults choose to move closer to one or more of their adult children is to spend more time with their grandchildren.
For seniors who live far from their family, frequent visits may eventually become too much of a challenge. Video visits can help fill the void, but they just aren’t the same as being there in person.
When they live close by, it’s easier to be there for all those important occasions — and impromptu get-togethers, as well.
Health Benefits for the Grandparents
Connecting with others socially, including family members, can help older adults ward off loneliness, and maintain or increase cognition. Additional benefits can include improving their physical and mental health, and possibly extending their life span, studies like this one indicate.
Specifically, according to an article by Mayo Clinic, social isolation and loneliness can increase the risk of dementia, heart disease, stroke and premature death.
Grandparents who are able to help their adult children with the grandkids — either by assisting with tasks or providing insight gained through their own child-rearing experiences — often derive an enhanced sense of purpose as a result, and that can also benefit their health.
Virtually all seniors benefit
Older adults with limited mobility and those experiencing cognitive issues may not be able to interact with their grandchildren to the extent they would like. However, this doesn’t mean they can’t gain many of the same physical and emotional advantages as other grandparents do.
An article by Aging Outreach Services notes that, for older adults with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, the positive feelings these seniors experience during visits with their grandkids typically continue “long after the visit is over.” The article offers suggestions and tips for ensuring the visits are enjoyable for grandchildren and grandparents alike.
This article by Our Parents reinforces the notion that visits with family members can enhance the quality of life for seniors with dementia by producing positive emotional memories. These memories continue to provide benefits, even as the disease progresses, and the person can’t remember specific visits.
The Grandkids Benefit, Too
Children who develop a close relationship with their grandparents have another level of emotional support. Research suggests that a healthy emotional bond between grandparents and grandchildren can help prevent depression for both generations, and the effect on grandchildren appears to last into adulthood.
Grandchildren can discover new interests and learn more about the world through their grandparents, too. Older adults have gained decades of additional experience and wisdom to share, and who better to pass it on to than their grandkids?
It’s important to keep these benefits in mind when weighing the pros and cons of grandparents moving near grandchildren.
‘Come Live With Us’
Some adult children choose to move their aging parent into their own home, with some going so far as building an extra room or small dwelling adjacent to the main house for them. This can be a great situation if the parent needs minimal or no assistance or supervision.
If the time comes when the senior’s needs start to increase, though, the arrangement may need to be reevaluated. Older adults don’t want to feel like a burden to their loved ones, and adult children don’t want to resent the time and energy it can take to ensure their parents are safe and receiving the appropriate level of care.
In families with young children, it’s not unusual for the parents in the middle to eventually feel overwhelmed by the responsibilities of caring for both the older and younger generations.
Are You Making the Decision for Yourself?
Choosing the best place to live after you’ve retired may be more complex than when you were younger. Moving is stressful and requires considerable energy, no matter what age you are, and it usually becomes more challenging later in life.
Bear this in mind, along with all the benefits described above, if you’re debating about living in a place you love vs. living near family. If you opt to live somewhere you’ve always dreamed of, you may have to travel to see your loved ones (or vice versa), and that could mean seeing one another less often. Plus, you may have to move again later on if circumstances change.
Conversely, if you choose to move closer to family, you might need to relinquish your long-held plans for living in your version of paradise. Maybe, just maybe, though, you’ll be fortunate and find a place that meets both criteria.
Looking in the Encino Area?
If you live in or near Encino, California, and are in search of a well-appointed senior living community that offers exceptional assisted living and memory care, call us at 818.450.3120 to learn more about The Vered.
We’re a brand-new community, opening this year, with a limited number of residences to ensure each resident receives the utmost in advanced care. We welcome the opportunity to set up a one-on-one appointment with a member of our team.
Featured Image: Gorodenkoff / Shutterstock