Is it time to move to assisted living? Did you know there are over 800,000 seniors living in assisted living facilities in the United States? Assisted living is an excellent and safe option for seniors who have difficulty caring for themselves.
But how do you know when it’s the right time for your loved one to move to assisted living? What are the signs, and how can moving to assisted living be the right choice?
If you’re curious about better care for seniors, and how an assisted living facility can service your loved one, here are nine signs that it’s time that your loved one needs support from an assisted living facility.
1. Trouble With Tasks
Daily living tasks like doing laundry and cooking tend to become harder as you age. If you find that your loved one’s home is in disarray, and can no longer cook, do laundry, or do other daily tasks, it might be time to get help from assisted living.
Care from assisted living offers help with these tasks and may even do these tasks for them, providing laundry and cleaning services several times a week.
2. Forgetting
Even if your loved one seems competent around the home, there may be times when they forget to turn off appliances or lock doors. Leaving the stove on, for example, could potentially burn down a home leading to catastrophic consequences.
Forgetting small things like keys or making a phone call might not warrant a need to move to assisted living. However, forgetting major things like turning off the stove, not cleaning the dryer, or not locking your home can be signs that moving to an assisted living facility is a safer option for your loved one.
3. Falls
If your loved one injures themselves by falling in the home and there’s no one around to help, it could lead to greater complications. Bones become more brittle as you age, leading to easier breaks and injuries.
Falling is one of the greatest risks for seniors who live alone. If your loved one experiences many falls, it’s likely a sign that they need assistance getting around their home. Assisted living facilities have staff who help with mobility so your loved ones can safely navigate their space.
4. Health Challenges
As you age, you’re at risk for more serious health conditions and diseases like Alzheimer’s, heart problems, and diabetes. If you have a loved one with a serious health condition, you know how challenging it can be to assist them through these conditions.
If your loved one has a health condition, and they’re having trouble caring for themselves, or their condition worsens, an assisted living facility might be the best choice. The assisted living staff can help your loved one with administering medication, mobility, and even memory care.
5. Socialization
Some seniors tend to isolate themselves leaving them feeling more alone than ever. Many seniors experience loneliness, leading to a greater risk of dementia, anxiety, depression, and even a shorter lifespan.
One of the benefits of assisted living is being a part of assisted living community activities. This type of socialization can offset the feeling of loneliness and form friendships leading to a better quality of life.
6. Hygiene
Have you noticed that your loved one seems to be lacking when it comes to self-care? Do they have trouble bathing or showering? Not caring for one’s self when it comes to personal hygiene puts one at risk for infections and illnesses, which is dangerous for people with compromised immune systems.
Caring for your body is important through bathing and reduces the risks of infections. An assisted living facility can aid with bathing or showering so your loved one stays clean and healthy.
7. Disorientation
Have you noticed your loved one becoming disoriented around their home or even outside of their home? Do they not know where there are or how they got there? If so, they need careful observation for their safety because this could be an early sign of dementia.
Frequent experiences of disorientation could be damaging for your loved one. They may even become aggravated or frustrated in their confusion, which leads to aggression. An assisted living facility operates to help those who experience disorientation and keep them safe.
8. Eating
How often does your loved one cook a healthy meal? Do you find that their eating habits leave out nutritious foods, or do they have trouble cooking altogether?
Eating healthy food is necessary at any age, especially in your senior years. Seniors still need a balanced diet and if they can no longer provide that for themselves, an assisted living facility offers healthy meals.
9. Burnout
Some families have hired help in the home so your loved one doesn’t need to move out of their home. For seniors, being in their homes is more comfortable and familiar. However, if your loved one’s needs become too great for one caregiver to handle, you may want to consider moving them to an assisted living facility.
In assisted living, multiple people do tasks for seniors living there, so one person isn’t required to do all of the caring. One person may experience burnout if they’re caring for someone full-time.
Is it Time to Move to Assisted Living?
The decision to move to assisted living isn’t always a clear-cut answer. For some, they need more observation or input from a professional. However, these signs listed above may help you make your decision so your loved one can get the best care.
Are you thinking about moving your loved one to an assisted living facility? If you have more questions or concerns about what that looks like for you, contact us today for more information or to take a tour of our facility.