As if caring for kids isn’t challenging enough, more and more families are finding themselves in the position of caring for their aging parents, as well.

You probably know someone who has been there. Perhaps you’re already there yourself. You’re not alone. As the population of older residents increases, and as families wait longer to have children, adults are finding themselves caught between caring for both younger and older generations.

Taking care of older relatives is noble, but taxing. It takes time and personal resources to assist with daily duties like groceries, laundry, cleaning, driving and more. And, eventually, it can become too much for anyone — especially anyone not trained in senior care — to bear alone.

That moment is different for everyone. It could be a fall that robs a parent of their mobility. The onset of dementia can lead to distressing lapses in memory or extreme mood swings. Or maybe simple tasks like making meals or bathing become just too difficult with age, leading to more than a family member or caretaker can handle.

That’s when help is most urgently needed. That’s when a nursing home should be considered for both care and comfort.

Skilled nursing facilities like Gracedale Nursing Home in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, have long been there to help families when they realize the job of caring for their older relatives is too big, and to restore a quality of life for residents in their later years.

The use of such facilities will be even more urgently required as the proportion of seniors continues to grow and middle generations are increasingly stretched by the burden of care.

The need is growing because:

 

Care gets more difficult as age limits safe activities, or illness or accidents take their toll. About 70% of seniors today will need some kind of long-term care, according to statistics from the federal government.

All of this means that more people are going to need care, and more families are going to need help providing it.

Why choose a nursing home?

Home-based health care services may be one preference of seniors, but those services are finding themselves less and less able to meet demand. The University of Pennsylvania’s health economics institute recently noted the continuing decline and turnover in the home-health workforce, which reduces the quality of care.

Additionally, that type of care is not typically covered by Medicare, which could leave seniors or their families to try to cover the costs.

Nursing homes like Gracedale are a better option, especially for those who need more consistent care. The trained staff includes registered and certified nurses who are able to offer 24-hour medical care, daily management of chronic conditions, and other offerings.

Consider that Gracedale offers:

 

That’s a lot more care and attention than a family member can offer in their spare time.

Why choose Gracedale?

Amenities don’t mean much when they’re too far away. Fortunately, Gracedale’s location in Nazareth is central to the Lehigh Valley, Slate Belt and Poconos. Its proximity to Routes 33 and 22, the Northeast Extension, and Interstates 80 and 78 makes an rather direct drive for visiting relatives from nearly anywhere in the densely populated tri-state region.

It’s also important to note that Medicare-eligible nursing homes both public and private are governed by strict federal and state regulations. 

However, a county-owned nursing home like Gracedale is subject to an additional level of public scrutiny, answerable to residents and public officials, holding it to even higher standards. Gracedale meets and exceeds stringent guidelines amid annual inspections.

For families already stretched between their kids and their parents, and those who are finding or will soon find themselves there, that’s a relief.