Living with Relatives

Ruth and Naomi — a precious tale of two women meeting each other’s needs. Naomi needed support and companionship after losing both her husband and her sons. Her daughter-in-law, Ruth, widowed by one of the sons, needed a home and a community. Lovingly and persistently they both supported each other; their actions built on a mutual trust in the one God to guide them. And God did provide for them — a home, an extended family, and a community.

Like Naomi, many seniors, if they no longer wish to live independently, want to be close to family, church, friends, and other activities that bring joy, purpose, and comfort. An option to consider may be moving into the household of an adult child if it meets the senior’s needs and is mutually beneficial to the rest of the family. An important factor in considering this option is the practice of Christian Science. Does the family practice Christian Science? Are they fully supportive of the senior’s practice of it?

Other things to consider include space, privacy, cost, care needs, and companionship, to name a few. The resource items in this section address many of the practical considerations that each of you may want to think about individually and to discuss with all the individuals who would be impacted by such a move.

For help thinking through these ideas, please call Caring for Christian Scientists at 800.930.3797.