When (and How) to Mve to Care for an Aging Loved One

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Deciding when to move to care for an aging loved one is a big decision. You’ll be stepping into a caregiver role, and that’s a major responsibility. Plus, you’re uprooting your life, and that isn’t easy.

As a result, it’s normal to want to make sure now is the right time to make that transition. If you aren’t sure when you should move or how to handle it, here’s what you need to consider, presented below by Realtor Branden Linnane.

Determine When Your Loved One Needs Support

Usually, you’ll need to assess your loved one’s needs to determine when you need to move. In most cases, you need to focus on whether they can reasonably care for themselves or their home and how quickly their capabilities are declining.

Along with considering their medical conditions, see if they’re experiencing any hygiene or meal prep challenges. Mental acuity shifts could be a sign that moving sooner rather than later is best, as well as increasing mobility troubles that limit their ability to live comfortably or could cause safety issues.

By examining those points, you can determine if your loved one needs help now. If so, then moving quickly may be your best bet.

Assessing the Housing Situation

Even if you decide that moving to care for your aging loved one is the right decision, you’ll need to assess the housing situation before you take the leap. Along with addressing your needs, you have to determine what living arrangement is best for your family member.

Usually, you have three main choices relating to your loved one: having them remain in their home, transitioning them to a long-term care facility, and moving them in with you. Each option comes with its own benefits and challenges, so you’ll want to examine them carefully to decide.

Overall, 77 percent of adults aged 50 and older would prefer to age in place, so there’s a good chance that your loved one would like to remain in their home. However, that may not be practical if they’re struggling to care for themselves or their house.

While you could bring in in-home service providers to cover the gap, that may be insufficient if your loved one needs memory care or other specialty services. In those cases, having them live with you or in an assisted living facility could be a better choice, ensuring they’ll get the supervision and support they need.

If you determine that the remaining alone isn’t ideal, you could explore moving in with them if their home can meet their needs. However, if home accessibility is an issue, then it may be best to explore alternatives.

Choosing the Right Home for Your Move

Once you determine whether your loved one will move in with you or not, you’ll need to find the right home for your needs. Usually, the first step you need to take is preparing for your mortgage.

Since lenders usually calculate your debt-to-income ratio to assess what you can afford — typically requiring borrowers not to cross 43 percent and preferring those that come in below 36 percent — do that calculation yourself before you apply. Add up your monthly debt payments and divide that by your total gross monthly income. Then, multiply that number by 100 to see your percentage.

Checking your credit report to look for errors is also wise. That way, you can dispute any errors and get them corrected before you apply for a home loan.

Gathering up key documents is also smart. Typically, you’ll need to provide your potential lender with a lot of financial information, including past tax returns, pay stubs, bank statements, and other documents. By getting those together in advance, you’ll be ready for the process.

After you have your finances squared away, it’s time to get preapproved and find the right home. Consider your current needs and those that may develop in the future. For instance, if your loved one isn’t moving in with you immediately but may need to do so later, make sure you have a spare bedroom. Getting a house with a dual master suite may also be wise, allowing your family member to have their own bathroom, too. Choosing an accessible home may also be a smart move; work with Realtor Branden Linnane to find the perfect home that suits your specific needs.

Executing a Business Move

You may also be moving your business as part of your relocation, which has its own considerations to keep in mind. Make sure that you begin planning the business move as far out in advance as possible. This means coordinating not only with vital team members within the business, such as IT. You may also want to consider which roles can be transitioned into remote work, including your own. You’ll also want to schedule and plan a strategy with movers. Find a company that has experience with moving businesses by researching local movers, as well as reading reviews and ratings from previous customers.

Moving to care for a loved one is an important decision that can’t be taken lightly. You’ll want to be sure that you can find a residence capable of meeting everyone’s needs, as well as making sure your business can make the transition as well.

Contact: Claire Wentz
www.caringfromafar.com
clairewentz@caringfromafar.com