Is It Time To Seek Assisted Living?
09/23/2013
Is it Assisted Living time? Stop. Look. Listen. And you’ll know.
Trying to decide if it’s time for a senior loved one to reside in an assisted living residence can be very emotional and stressful. One might wonder... Is it too soon? Will the senior will be resentful? Is my loved one better off staying in his or her own home? Moving into an assisted living facility can be hard for older adults. This is especially true, if they are accustomed to being independent. Yet, the decision to choose an assisted living facility can be just as hard for the children of aging parents as it is for the parents. Most children are used to thinking of their parents as strong and capable. They often still see them that way, even as their parents age into their senior years and become incapable of caring for themselves. The best way to determine whether the time has come for assisted living is to take a step back. Watch your parents objectively. Listen to their words. By doing so, you can analyze how they are getting along. It’s easy to overlook signs of decline in older adults.Ask yourself the following questions:
- Is your parent telling you that he is eating, but you’re seeing food go bad in the refrigerator?
- Is your parent covering up bruises from falling that he or she doesn’t want you to see?
- Does your parent seem to be having trouble talking and communicating?
- Have you seen your parent wearing the same clothes when you go to visit?
- Does your parent hear strange noises in the night?
- When you look around the house or yard, is it as neat and clean as it used to be?
- Is your parent able to take medications correctly?
- Does your parent respond appropriately to an emergency?
- Could your parent use some help one hour a day, three hours a day, or even around the clock?