Coping With the Decision to Put Your Parent in a Care Facility
Guilt is one emotion that every family caregiver will experience at some point during their journey. When you take on responsibility for another person, there is an enormous amount of pressure to consider all factors and make the best decisions regarding their health and finances. Unfortunately, care decisions are rarely black and white. No one always makes the right call in every circumstance. Mistakes are part of human nature, but we do our best with the information and resources we have at the time.
One of the most contentious and guilt-inducing decisions that many family caregivers face is whether nursing home placement is in a loved one’s best interest. Even if a parent requires an intensive level of care and around-the-clock supervision—something that a caregiver is unable to provide singlehandedly—this matter is commonly accompanied by a sense of defeat. Ironically, if the decision to seek out professional help is also in our own best interest, then the guilt looms even larger.
A Caregiver’s Experience Placing Her Father in a Nursing Home
Members of the AgingCare Caregiver Forum frequently ask questions about nursing home placement and share advice and experiences with one another regarding this multifaceted decision. Anxiety and concern are two very normal reactions for a caregiver who is considering making alternative living and care arrangements for an aging parent.
When my dad first needed nursing home care, I worried about every aspect of his needs simply because he was so vulnerable. My uncle already resided at the same skilled nursing facility, so I knew the staff well and was confident in the care they provided. Yet, I was still fearful for the first few weeks after the move that Dad would not receive the kind of attention he’d grown accustomed to. I was afraid he would decline further…
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