Two-thirds would move Mom in over Dad!

May 7, 2013 – Folks write poems about Mom, name their kids after her and even sport tattoos praising her glory – and now the results of a new national survey should make moms feel even more special. Just in time for Mother’s Day, the national poll reveals 70% of adult children do not want their parents moving in with them. But if they had to choose, 67% (2 out of 3) would overwhelmingly choose to move in their mom over their dad.

The national survey of more than 1,100 adults, ages 40 and older with both living parents, was commissioned by Visiting Angels, one of our nation’s largest in-home senior care companies with more than 450 offices throughout the country.

WHY MOVE IN MOM OVER DAD?

Most say Mom would:

o Help more than Dad with cooking and cleaning (86%)
o Help more than Dad with the kids (79%)
o Be neater (73%)
o Be a better listener (64%)

Most say Dad:

o Has worse hygiene than Mom (75%)
o Is more likely than Mom to say inappropriate things (75%)
o Is sloppier than Mom (70%)
o Is lazier than Mom (68%)
o Would want to control the TV more than Mom (69%)

FEAR FACTOR:

When asked what they fear about one or both parents moving in, respondents say:

o Not enough room (55%)
o Lack of privacy (49%)
o It would cause conflict (46%)
o They fear they’d have less intimacy/sex with partner (21%)

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

41% say they would prefer their parents remain in their own home with a caregiver, over moving them in to their home (31%) or moving them to an assisted living facility (17%) or nursing home (2%). More than half (58%) believe their aging parents would prefer to stay in their own home.

MONEY MOTIVATOR?

Two-thirds (66%) of those polled say they cannot afford to move their parents in with them. Yet more than half (51%) say they would move them in anyway. And here’s some heartwarming news – 85% say money is no motivator – that they would NOT be more inclined to move parents in if they got more of the inheritance.  And more than ¾ of those polled (76%) say they would pay out of their own pocket if their parents needed care.

“This survey shows children don’t want their aging parents to move in but they will do whatever it takes to take care of them, even if it means picking up the tab,” says Larry Meigs, CEO of Visiting Angels, one of our nation’s largest in-home senior care companies, with caregivers in our area. “People prefer their parents stay in their own home surrounded by the things that make them feel comfortable and safe. We send caregivers into the home to help with everything from meal preparation to light housekeeping. It gives everyone peace of mind without causing conflict.”

WHERE’S THE PLAN?

The survey reveals children mean to do well by their parents, though many have no game plan whatsoever.
Almost ¾ of respondents (72%) say they don’t have a plan for how they’ll care for their aging parents. More than half (54%) say they haven’t even had a conversation with their parents about the type of care they want as they age.

WHO SHOULD TAKE CARE OF MOM AND DAD?

Respondents say this question could cause a family feud.

46% predict some kind of conflict when deciding how to care for aging parents. 28% expect conflict with a parent, 25% with a sibling and 11% with a spouse or significant other.

So who bears the most responsibility for aging parents?
32% say the child that lives closest, 27% say the child with the least responsibility,( i.e. no spouse or children),  19% say the child with the most money and surprisingly only 3% said the child who got the most growing up.

“There can be a lot of conflict in families over how to care for aging parents. Part of the problem is that most families decide about their parents’ care in crisis when it’s too late; emotions take over and it’s difficult to think logically and clearly,” says Meigs. “You need to meet now with your parents and siblings to decide on a solution that appeals to everyone involved. Often the family will agree that the best solution is in-home care where parents can stay at home and get the care they need without overly burdening anyone in the family.”

Thank you to Visiting Angels national for providing this information, details below.

* Visiting Angels was the source for this survey.
* This online survey was done by a third party and commissioned by Visiting Angels.
* Survey participants have no affiliation with Visiting Angels.
* The survey included 1,118 respondents, 776 women, 342 men

Interestingly enough, I recently read reports of up to 75% of the hospitals re-admissions are potentially preventable. Utilizing the services of a private duty, licensed home care agency is a way to bridge the gap during the transitional period of recovery and provide the services that address and typically can prevent the most common reasons for hospital re-admission.

We at Lighthouse Homecare will provide you quality home care services that can assist you with follow-up services. Our services are very reasonable and we can coordinate your services to provide quality and necessary care to help you with full recover and prevent re-admittance.

We can start by meeting you at the hospital or rehabilitation center. We can provide safe transportation to home for you, your equipment and belongings. Other ways we can help will include preparing meals, monitoring medication, picking up supplies, groceries and even prescriptions.

When it comes to assisting you with daily living, we can build a service around both your budget and your needs. The last thing you want is to end up back in the hospital when it can be possibly prevented with having the proper care.

At Lighthouse Homecare, sure we have a nurse on staff, we are licensed in both Iowa and Illinois. In Illinois, we have both a nursing services and home services license. Our staff is trained to give you the benefit of companionship and helping with chores to much, much more. Yes, we can even take you to and from appointments. I recently answered the phone for one of our lovely customers and she was very kind about the service we have given her. To this, I want to thank you publicly in this article. It is a true pleasure to serve you!

Often times people are timid and scared to have someone come in there home. Yes, it’s probably like that first time you jumped into the hot tub. Well, it’s really warm and feels great. So please give us a call and we would like to be your home care of choice. We have plenty of references and offer many payment options.

I also would like to point out in addition to traditional home care, we have short-term services that can help you as well. For example, if you have a hip operation coming up, we can help there too! Don’t rely on that family friend and/or neighbor, let them come visit and enjoy you while we do all the work for you.

Whatever your story, we want to help. Please give us a call at 309.786.9982 and simply ask!

As we sit around the warmth of our homes and think about the upcoming days and months and what you would like to do differently, think about offering the gift of In-Home Care to a loved one.

Caregiving is emotionally draining. Taking care of a loved one can take its toll on the way you feel and how you treat others. After all, we all are human and need to take a break now and then.

Sally Abrahms recently wrote this on the AARP website. “Ever since I’ve been a caregiver, I’ve been waiting for The Call. If you’re caring for a loved one, you know what I mean — the telephone rings, and you learn that your parent has taken a turn for the worse, and you must rush to his side. In the past 12 years, I’ve taken care of my father, then my mother, and now my 93-year-old mother-in-law. The Call keeps coming, and I’ve been on edge the whole time, waiting.”

The AARP also likens the need for caregivers to take care of themselves to performing regular maintenance on a car. Without regular attention, even the finest cars and caregivers will soon deteriorate.

One theme is repeated often by those who advise caregivers. You can’t do it alone. Get help.

The physical, emotional and other demands of family responsibilities seem to be overwhelming at times and we at Lighthouse Homecare are hear to help you.

We offer services from one hour a day to full 24-hour care for your loved ones, to help assist you in taking care of them. Our goal is to help individuals and families stay together in their home as long as possible with a safety net. The first choice of placement for almost all of us is in our homes. That is where we are most comfortable and where we are likely to be the happiest.

If you are stressed and need an hour or two away or if you need more help with anything, anything at all, we want to be there for you.

Dan Adams, Lighthouse Homecare. Reliable In-Home care, serving you since 1999.

Our goal is to help individuals and families stay together in their home as long as possible with a safety net. The first choice of placement for almost all of us is in our homes. That is where we are most comfortable and where we are likely to be the happiest.

Care Services
We, at Lighthouse Homecare, realize that you didn’t spend your entire life to reach the point of not being able to enjoy it to its fullest.

That’s why we know that it is important to provide you with as many types of services as possible.

It is our pleasure to serve those in need of care in the Quad Cities area, as well as many outlying areas. From short-term care to long- term care, from travel companionship to only a one-time, one-hour need, Lighthouse Homecare is here to serve you in your time of need.

Our caregivers are on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days of the year. Caregivers have been trained to document and journal all care requirements and needs, as well as chart the client’s progess for future physician or caregiver reference. For those who qualify, we also provide a sliding fee scale, which has given clients the opportunity to have excellent care on a limited budget. Upon request, we offer bilingual services, interpretation for the deaf, male companionship for sports, travel, or any other need that another male client may require.

Lighthouse Homecare offers both short-term and long-term care, depending upon your needs, along with the following services:

if you don’t see what you need, please don’t hesitate to call us!

♦  Up to 24 Hour Care
♦  Nurse on Call
♦  Post Hospital Care
♦  Respite Care
♦  Personal Care
♦  Companionship
♦  Alzheimer/Dementia
♦  Telehealth Services
♦  Medication Services
♦  Shopping & Errands
♦  Meal Preparation
♦  Transportation
♦  Housekeeping/Laundry
♦  Packing Services
♦  Beautician Services
♦  And More…

Office hours are 8:30-4:30 Monday through Friday

We have 24 hour ON CALL service.

Iowa – 563.441.9982
Iowa – 309.786.9982