For those that have the privilege of bringing an elderly parent home to live with them, there can be a lot to think through, and sometimes in just a short amount of time! While the underlying desire may be to provide a safe and comfortable place for your parent or grandparent to be with family, the initial preparations and move can be a bit stressful if not carefully planned and prepared for with Storage Units in Junction City Kansas.
If that time is coming for you, or maybe it has already come and you want to improve the situation, here are four things to think about for your space.
Find a location on the main floor
Although stairs may not be much of challenge right now, in the end it will be much more comfortable for your loved one if you can arrange for main floor living for them long-term. If you don’t have an extra bedroom on the main floor, a spare room like a study could easily be turned into a bedroom. If none of these are an option, and this is going to be a long-term arrangement, a garage renovation or an addition onto the house might be helpful.
Make sure they have a place to retreat
Main floor living is best for safety reasons and to prevent isolation, but in spite of that you’ll want to make sure that your parent or grandparent has a place that they can go to to be alone and that feels like their own space. Take conscious steps to respect this space–knock before entering, don’t let your kids go there without being invited in, and try to let your loved one make the space their own.
Watch out for potential safety hazards
Lots of things can be done to make your space a bit safer for someone with limited mobility. Bars can be added to the showers and toilets. Watch out for things like rugs and cords that could be a tripping hazard–make sure the rugs don’t curl up at all from the floor, and maybe remove the rug for the time being.
Make room for keepsakes
While their room area should definitely be a place they can display and keep their memories, pictures, and keepsakes, allow some of their belongings to sprinkle into the family decor throughout the rest of the house. These pieces can be valuable conversation starters with children and visitors, and will help your loved one feel more a part of the family.
Multi-generational living can be a wonderful experience for all members of the family, and a little bit of prep work and a lot of flexibility can make it work. If you find yourself in this situation, a storage unit could be a serious life-saver when you pack up some of your things to make room for your parent or grandparent’s things. At Self Assured Storage, we a packing experts, so give us a call today to come by and check out a storage unit that can free up valuable space for your priceless guest.
