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Nobody is ready to accept the reality that their parents can no longer fully take care of themselves. Those are people you’ve always seen as so strong. Not only have they always taken care of themselves, but they’ve also always taken care of other people—including you. So it’s never, even in the slightest, easy to acknowledge it when your parents start to struggle with things like cooking for themselves, using the toilet, or simply getting up from bed. Nobody willingly watches their warrior use a walker. But, when that day comes, you’ll have a choice to make: do you have your elderly parent move in with you, or do you put her in a care facility with full-time help? Interestingly enough, it’s a cultural thing. Many other cultures find it shocking that Americans put their parents in retirement homes. But, every culture has its own set of values and ways they see things. Here are reasons it may be right for you to put your parent in a home, and why you can’t feel bad about it.
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They want you to succeed
Caring for an elderly individual who can no longer handle simple tasks like making a pot of tea or bathing is a full-time job. That’s why there are careers in elderly care. But you likely already have a career, and it’s not in elderly care. There is a good chance that your parent wouldn’t want you to take time off work—or slack off in work—to care for them. You have put in so much time making career gains.
