Knowing when to move a family member into assisted living is a tough call. When is it time for assisted living? We take a look at 9 tell-tale signs.
Wondering when to move your loved one to assisted living?
You’re not the only one with this question. With about 12 million seniors in the U.S. living alone, figuring out when it’s time for assisted living can be a challenging decision to make.
You want to give your family member the best quality of life but allow them to remain as autonomous and comfortable as possible. But we know their health and safety are of the utmost importance.
We’ve put together a list of 9 tell-tale signs that its time to make the move.
1. Chronic Health Issues
If your loved one suffers from a chronic health issue, it’s very likely that as they continue to age the problem will worsen. Many chronic health problems require regular medication and monitoring which can get difficult as their health declines if they continue to live alone.
Moving your family member to an assisted living facility will ensure they’re taking their medication and receiving the proper supervision to monitor their health condition. You can rest easy knowing that if something goes wrong, there will be someone there to help right away.
When selecting an assisted living home, there are several things you’ll want to look out for to be sure you choose the right one. View here for some things to take into account when making your selection.
2. Accident or Injury
When a major injury or accident occurs, it be can difficult to achieve a full recovery. If your loved one has fallen and endured a physical injury that has left them with limitations, it may be the right time to pull the trigger on a move.
They could have trouble getting around the house and if they’re still recovering from their accident, it could leave them more vulnerable to another injury or fall.
An assisted living facility will be retrofitted to accommodate those with injuries or limitations.
There will be less of a risk of future injuries and they’ll be able to recover in a safer environment.
3. Isolation
Has your loved one become isolated? If so, this could be a sign they would benefit greatly from relocating to an assisted living facility.
Isolation can come in many forms. For starters, if they’re unable to drive and live in a remote area, they likely have a hard time socializing or getting to a place where they could interact with others on a regular basis.
They could also show signs of becoming reclusive. If they live in an area where they could easily socialize or get out of the house but you notice they’re not, it could be a sign something is wrong.
If you notice they go a day or so without leaving the house, it’s time to take action.
4. The Condition of the Home
What condition is their living space in? If you can tell that the home is being neglected or housekeeping and regular maintenance is being ignored, this could put them in danger.
Some things to watch out for are the upkeep of the bathroom and the kitchen. Does the bathroom have grime or mildew building up? Is the sink filled with dirty dishes? Check in the refrigerator for expired food or no food at all.
You’ll be able to tell a lot by how they’re keeping their living space. If it appears to have declined, this could be a sign they’re no longer able to manage it on their own.
5. Neglect of Daily Tasks
Either you or a caregiver should be able to tell if daily items aren’t able to be managed by your loved one. Check to see if they’re taking their medication.
Are they eating meals? Collecting and opening the mail? Caring for their pets? These are all things to watch for and failure to do them is a telltale sign that they’re having trouble living on their own.
Upkeeping a home or apartment involves a myriad of daily tasks. Almost all of these will be handled once your loved one moves to assisted living. They won’t have to worry about these day-to-day things that can pile up if ignored.
6. If Their Caregiver Is Overwhelmed
If your family member has a caregiver, you should be checking in with them on a regular basis for an update about their condition. The upkeep of a home and the care of an individual can be too much for just one person.
So if their caregiver seems overwhelmed or like they can’t keep it up on their own, it could be time for reinforcements. Unless you have someone living there full-time, there will always be things the caregiver doesn’t have time to do or shouldn’t be responsible for.
When the other items begin to fall through the cracks because your family member is unable to do them on their own, that’s when it’s time to move.
7. Sundowning or Signs of Aggression
Many of the signs we’ve mentioned have to do with external issues or ones you can notice in the home. But there are things to look for within your family members’ personality that can signal they aren’t thriving on their own.
If you notice your family member is becoming aggressive or severely agitated, this could be an issue. Sundowning is a condition where aggression or agitation becomes more obvious later in the day.
As people age and find themselves requiring more help, they can become resentful or angry and lash out. If this is the case it’s a major sign it’s time to relocate.
8. Hygiene and Personal Appearance
Is your family member beginning to ignore their hygiene? If you notice they’ve stopped bathing, don’t get dressed in the morning or generally don’t keep up their appearance this is a sign they’re struggling.
This could be happening for a variety of reasons but failure to upkeep these basic needs certainly alters their quality of life for the worse.
9. Money Management
Are bills piling up? Do you see notices from the bank or bill collectors? If your family member is no longer able to keep up on their finances this could be a problem.
This issue needs to be addressed quickly because it may lead to other problems that could land them in financial trouble.
Keeping up on finances takes a certain amount of brain power and awareness so failure to upkeep this could mean they’re unable to manage that aspect of their life alone.
Now You Know When It’s Time for Assisted Living
Making this kind of life-changing decision for your family member will never be easy but hopefully, with these signs listed above, you’ll know when it’s time for assisted living.
Ask them questions and pay attention to the details. Noticing their inability to manage on their own could help you get them into assisted living quickly and increase their quality of life so they have less to worry about.
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