Knowing when it might be time for assisted living can be tricky. But there are signs to watch for.
You don’t want to give up your independence, but you can no longer do many of the things you enjoy doing.
It’s hard to become dependent on other people for help. Emotionally, you can feel like you’re not the same person you’ve always been and that can be frustrating and depressing.
How do you adjust to a new “normal” and seek support?
7 SIGNS IT MIGHT BE TIME TO MOVE TO ASSISTED LIVING
One of the biggest factors in determining that you need support is when you are no longer able to drive. Whether it’s cognitive impairment, vision changes, or slow reflexes, there can come a time when it’s no longer safe for you to be on the road. For you and for others.
But not being able to drive forces you to stay home more than you like. You’re no longer able to get to your appointments on your own, you lose the ability to socialize with friends and family, and you become isolated from the world outside.
If you’ve always driven yourself around to run errands and get to your appointments and you’re now having trouble, it might be time to get off the road. Your car, and others, can be damaged if you can’t determine how close or far away you are. And if you’re feeling tense or you’re easily distracted while driving, you can be a danger to yourself and others.
Many drivers, as they get older, change their driving patterns. They drive different routes to stay off the highways or drive only during daylight to avoid night driving. These are normal habits. But if you can’t properly judge the distance between you and another car or you lose your way when driving a route you frequently take, it’s time to stop driving.
Getting off the road can mean losing your independence and your ability to live a normal life.
Your health can also begin to suffer when you become homebound.
Not only are you not getting exercise by being active, but you can also begin to suffer from depression and loneliness. On top of that, if you can’t make regular trips to the grocery store, your diet may suffer from not being able to buy ingredients for healthy, balanced meals.
Losing your ability to drive is a big factor in deciding that it might be time to move into an assisted living community, but there are other signs as well that you may want to consider:
A SLOW RECOVER FROM ILLNESS
If you’ve recently suffered an illness or a stay in the hospital and your recovery is going slow, it may mean that your body is not able to heal as well as it once did. Even a simple illness like a cold or flu can set you back if you’re not able to get yourself to the doctor. Untreated viruses can lead to more severe illness that can mean a long recovery time if you can’t drive yourself to a medical appointment. Maintaining your health is imperative so it’s important that you’re able to seek medical attention when you need it.
If you can’t get medical attention when you need it, it may be time to consider moving to a facility that provides medical support on-site.
Almost all assisted living facilities offer some health care services on-site support to their residents. Emergency first aid, medication management, pharmacy services, and medical records maintenance services are usually offered to residents. Most facilities also have a staff physician or nurse who visits residents regularly to provide medical checkups.
DIFFICULTY MANAGING ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING
There are some things you need to be able to do for yourself in order to remain independent. These things include showering, getting dressed, shopping, cooking meals, doing laundry, and managing your medications. There may be other daily responsibilities you need to be able to manage like caring for your pet, cleaning your house, and tending to your yard. If you’re not able to handle these basic daily activities, a supportive living environment like an assisted living community is just what you need to be able to live your life to the fullest.
Most assisted living facilities offer approximately two hours of assistance with activities of daily living per day for each resident. In most senior assisted living residences caregivers are available 24 hours a day to help with personal needs. Residents can set up a schedule for routine personal care such as getting dressed in the morning, eating meals, or an evening bath, and there are always caregivers available to meet unscheduled needs as well.
Many facilities provide on-site pharmacy, physical therapy, salon services for residents, and a staff member to help schedule and coordinate appointments.
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN WEIGHT
If you’ve recently experienced a sudden weight loss or weight gain, you need to figure out why. Weight loss can be attributed to something as simple as not being able to shop for healthy food and prepare balanced meals. But it can also mean that you’re suffering from depression or that you have an illness. Sudden weight gains can also be attributed to a variety of illness.
MOBILITY ISSUES
Are you having trouble getting up from a sitting position or feel unsteady on your feet? If this is an ongoing occurrence and not a result of a recent illness or injury, it’s time to consider assisted living.
Mobility issues can lead to severe injury. And injuries can lead to additional health problems as you get older. If you’re unable to easily move around your house on your own, it’s probably not safe for you to be there.
MONEY ISSUES
Yes, having issues managing your money can be a sign that you might want to consider moving to an assisted living community.
Are you going through your mail, paying your bills on time, managing your incoming mail by sorting it, trashing junk mail, and keeping the rest organized?
Forgetting to pay bills or not knowing where your money went can be one of the first signs of dementia. If you’ve lost track of money and you’re having trouble keeping up with your bills, it’s time to get help from someone you trust and it may be time to consider a move to an environment that will be safer and easier for you to manage.
TROUBLE AROUND THE HOUSE
Are you letting more and more things go around the house because you just can’t do the tasks anymore? Letting things go around the house like having lots of clutter around, piles of laundry, spoiled food, dying plants, dirty dishes that appear to have been sitting for a long time, overflowing trash, and neglecting pet care tasks such as emptying the cat’s litter box are all signs that taking care of the home is getting too demanding for you.
CONCLUSION
Is this list all inclusive? No, but it does give you a good starting point.
Deciding to give up your independence and make the transition to an assisted living community can be a difficult decision to make. But for your health and safety, as well as the safety of those around you, it can be a very important decision to make.
As I think back to all the families we’ve worked with, all of the signs were there – as was a significant amount of denial. This is very common. Sometimes it’s the elder or the family or both.
If you think it might be time, but you are not sure or if you have a loved one who you think needs more help and could benefit from moving into an assisted living community, but is fighting you every step of the way, consider consulting with us. Give us a call or send us an email and we can help you determine if it’s time to consider an assisted living community.
We’re trained professionals and are used to dealing with this type of situation. Simply put, it’s what we do!
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And just like you, I’ve been a caregiver.
I share my knowledge and tips to help seniors and families as they navigate the complicated process of senior living options.
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