If you are concerned about your elderly parents and how long they will be able to remain in their own home, it is time to look at the options available and help them plan their future . 

Even if they are fit and active, they may be thinking of moving into somewhere smaller and easier to manage, or buying into a retirement village, so they will not have to move again in a few years. 

Consider all available options and your parents' own personal priorities.

Before deciding to move, check what services are available in your area to help older people remain in their own homes. Local councils provide a range of support services to enable residents to continue living in their own homes. These include Home Help, Meals on Wheels, transport and other Home and Community Care (HACC) services. 

You can also get help with home repairs and modifications needed to help people stay in their own homes, such as installing hand rails, safety ramps, widening doorways, changing light bulbs and repairing looks. These are available to those eligible for Home Care and Home Modification and Maintenance projects. 

If living alone, particularly as a single person, is no longer a good option, there are several other options, from the retirement village to the nursing home . With the agreement of your parents, a government-funded Aged Care Assessment Team will assess the level of care needed and help you link up with suitable home care or arrange residential care.

Levels of Care

There are several options for those who decide to move out of their own home. The choice is between the different levels of care provided with the accommodation. 

One option is to choose a retirement village with a hostel and nursing home on site. This means that, if the resident of the village becomes frail or sick, she is able to move into the hostel or nursing home, for additional care, without having to leave her environment or her new friends.