My dad lived with his Parkinson's diagnosis about 8 years before making a move to assisted living. For at least 4 of those years, his family and the people around him worried that something bad was going to happen. He insisted on driving when he could barely turn his neck and stepping into a bathtub was getting scary. It's not hard to imagine a car accident or a fall that would have forced him into a long stint in rehab, at a cost of $8,000 or more a month. As it was, he ended up spending a ton of money in an effort to avoid having to move. He paid a lawyer to appeal when he lost his drivers license, but all the guy did was take his money. The live-in helper crashed his car and the car insurance bill went through the roof. I now know that those expenses were much steeper than the cost of an Independent Living Community.
It's easy to get scared of a senior community's monthly fee, but many seniors get to a point where they are spending almost as much trying to hang on to an unsafe or isolated life in their house. On top of that, they risk an accident that will really break the bank. If your loved one thinks they can't afford senior living, help them add up their expenses from the last year. Then have a conversation about the financial risks of an accident. Once you have a realistic view of the situation, you can look at the options within senior communities. You might find that a more secure and less isolated lifestyle isn't the big financial sacrifice you were afraid of.
Penny Brandt-Roy helps clients find senior communities in the Metro Atlanta area. For more information on her free service, visit www.orchidsenior.com.
ความคิดเห็น