FOLKS WRITE songs, poems, and even sport tattoos praising mom and now the results of a new national survey should make moms feel even more special.  Just in time for Mother’s Day, a new national poll found 70 percent (7 out of 10) adult children would overwhelmingly choose their mom over their dad to move in with them if their elderly parents could not take care of themselves.  The survey was commissioned by Senior Helpers, the nation’s fastest growing provider of in-home care for seniors.

By a slightly smaller margin, 67 per cent of the respondents say if mom was not able to move in, they would prefer mom live on her own with help, rather than move into a nursing home or assisted living facility. In addition, 80 per cent (8 out of 10) of both men and women say they would pay out of their own pocket for their mom or dad’s care.   

“These findings are proof that even in tough economic times, people will do whatever is needed to take care of their aging moms,” says Peter Ross, CEO and founder of Senior Helpers.  “When people can’t move mom in, they want her in her own home, getting proper care. In-home care for seniors takes the guilt away from adult children.  They can focus on their own families and jobs knowing mom is well cared for.”

The independent online survey was conducted by Zoomerang.com and interviewed 300 people, evenly divided between men and women, between the ages 25 and 64. 

The survey also found:

• Daughters are more likely than sons to want mom to move in.  80 per cent of women agreed to take care of mom in their home while only 65 per cent of men agreed.
• 30 per cent of those surveyed did not want mom moving in at all.  The main reasons cited were that mom would disrupt their lives, they did not have enough room or they could not provide adequate care.  Finances were not an issue.
• People in the Northeast and Southeast were most agreeable to mom moving in. People in the Midwest were the least likely to want mom to move in.
• The news isn’t all bad for dad. 72 per cent of daughters and 58 per cent of sons say they would move dad in with them if he could not take care of himself.

“People will cut many things from their discretionary income such as entertainment or eating out,” adds Ross. “But this survey shows people will not scrimp when it comes to taking care of their mothers.”

Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish to live at home as opposed to a nursing or assisted living facility. The company has 260 franchises in 37 states and offers a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable, consistent and affordable home care.