Did you know that research studies conducted by numerous health care agencies confirm that taking care of a parent whose health is declining happens to be one of the most taxing of all life’s traumas? If you are currently undergoing this challenge, you do not need hard data to authenticate your personal experience. In fact, you may be caught between a rock and a hard place right now— between doing what is right for your mother or father, and what is right for your career and personal life. There are indeed persons whose life situations make caring for their parents at home a doable situation. However, many adult children of the sick and elderly struggle to make such circumstances work for them. For those individuals, senior living facilities might be the best choice.

Most people dread placing their parents in a long term care facility; certainly, it can be an emotionally taxing experience for all involved. There is a widespread misconception that the majority of skilled nursing facilities neglect residents or are otherwise unsafe or unpleasant. However, of the 16,100 nursing homes in the United States, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control, just a tiny percentage are guilty of wrongdoing. In fact, most senior living facilities provide residents with life-enriching activities, like art classes and exercise instruction. So too do many senior living facilities encourage the continued independence of residents, in order to maintain good mental and physical health, while still offering comprehensive health care. Doing adequate research is thus key prior to placement.

For come children of aging parents, cost is a concern when it comes to placing their moms or dads in senior living facilities or residential and nursing care homes. The good news is that many senior living facilities offer financial aid. As well, a number of elderly patients admitted to senior living facilities qualify for Medicaid, thus making their stay at senior living facilities free, for all practical purposes. In fact, placing aging parents in senior living facilities is often less expensive than caring for them at home, not to mention much less stressful for all involved.

If you are having trouble caring for a parent at home, it is definitely a good idea to research senior living facilities in your area. If you are unsure about how to find the best skilled nursing facility for your loved one, there are numerous health care agencies and nonprofits that can offer you assistance in that endeavor. It is highly likely that after doing your research, you will have found several good senior living facilities to choose from. More on this topic: heritageofcare.com