Dr. Eboni Green
July 31, 2021
It can be challenging to recognize when a loved one needs more than you can provide at home. This is especially true for family caregivers that have been providing care for years. You may notice signs of distress, such as increased irritability and withdrawal from social activities, but it might not occur to you that your loved one needs extra help. Therefore, should you notice the following ten signs in the behavior of your loved one, it may be time to consider assisted living as an option:
As people age, they often face chronic health problems that reduce their quality of life and make it difficult to live independently. This could be something like dementia or arthritis. When these symptoms become too much for an elder to handle on their own, assisted living may be a more comfortable setting where your loved one can get additional assistance with day-to-day activities, such as cooking and cleaning.
Additionally, many facilities offer rehabilitation services to help improve mobility or cognitive function so that seniors can return home in better condition.
If you’d like to learn more about the various services assisted living can offer, it might be a good idea to schedule a tour.
Assisted living communities provide the necessary assistance for people with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease so that their aggression doesn’t escalate. As part of the care program, your loved one will live in a home-like environment where they’re safe with excellent round-the-clock nursing care and individualized activities further tailored to your loved one’s needs.
If your loved one has had a recent fall and lives alone, it might be time to consider assisted living. Diseases like arthritis or Parkinson’s disease that make the bones brittle can increase your loved one’s risk for falls. The falls themselves can cause a myriad of other problems, including broken bones and fractures.
Assisted living communities provide a safe place for your loved one to live with professional assistance. It’s not just about senior care; it’s also about providing you peace of mind so that you can feel confident in them leaving home.
Another sign that it is time to consider assisted living for your loved ones is when they forget to take their medications. This is a serious sign that they may need more help with their daily living. Ergo, if your loved ones forget to take medication, it could be time for them to explore options for assisted living.
Activities such as bathing, cleaning their surroundings, cooking, among others, may indicate a decline in capability. If your loved one can no longer perform certain tasks, it’s maybe because of age, lack of strength, or other factors where a caregiver can provide assistance. Hence, you should consider assisted living for your loved one.
Signs of isolation include not wanting to talk on the phone, email, or video chat with friends and family. Signs of sadness may be that they are sleeping more than usual because they feel sad or lonely. Your loved one might also cry for no reason or feel down for lengthy periods.
It is vital that you understand your loved one’s needs to make the right decision about their care. Although your loved one may not be ready for assisted living, it is essential you make them aware of the options available. In most cases, the options may allow your loved one to maintain their independence.
When assisting a loved one with dementia, there are various ways to provide assistance, such as grocery shopping or going out for lunch which allows them social contact while also providing relief for caregivers.
This may be a first sign that you need to consider assisted living. When your loved ones become too difficult for you to handle, it becomes difficult for them as well.
You will also be able to sleep better at night knowing your loved one is receiving professional support. Your loved one may also be content with assisted living services as it means they are living independently and not burdening their families with their needs.
If there has been a sudden change in your loved ones’ health or abilities in handling certain aspects on their own (i.e., cooking meals), then this is when assisted living may become necessary as well as beneficial for everyone involved!
You may want to consider assisted living for your loved one if they have developed poor eating habits. For example, your loved one might: resist food, eat only a few spoons or not at all, and become dehydrated from refusing fluids.
If this is the case, it is essential to help with meals as soon as possible so that the person does not lose their appetite altogether. If you notice any of these signs in a loved one, contact a senior care provider for prompt care and assistance.
Your loved one can have a hard time maintaining their hygiene because of physical or mental challenges, such as arthritis or dementia. This may lead to odor, skin problems, infections like MRSA, depression, social isolation, and poor nutrition.
To combat this, consider assisted living facilities that offer hygiene help with bathing and grooming. Your loved one will get a daily bath rather than just when they can manage it on their own, thus avoiding dirt buildup, odors, and other unhealthy effects.
Professional caregivers also have more time to give attention to body care: for example, giving manicures or pedicures, trimming hair if necessary, clipping toenails, cleaning ears as needed, applying lotion, and deodorant at appropriate times during the day, among other practices.
You may find that you are concerned about your loved one’s safety. For example, they may have started to wander off or seem unable to recognize their surroundings, making it more difficult for them to find their way home from a walk. Or, your loved one might not remember how to get somewhere they once frequented, like church or school, ending up lost miles away from home without any idea where they live.
With the above examples, it can be demanding emotionally and financially to take care of your loved one 24/7. Still, the last thing you want is to take away your loved one’s freedom to go outside for a walk or a simple bask – this could be psychologically stressful for your loved one in the long run.
Fortunately, there are some solutions. One solution could be assisted living facilities that offer 24/7 trained professionals supervision who can help with medication management, daily tasks, and assist your loved one participate in hobbies like going for a walk.
Hopefully, this post has given you some food for thought about how to best care for your loved ones. Unfortunately, the decision to relocate your loved one to a separate living environment can be daunting. So, it’s vital to have an open discussion with everyone involved before making a final call. Remember, the best decisions can be the hardest.
