There are nearly 40 million people in the US that are over the age of 65.
About 4.5% of these older Americans live in nursing homes and 2% of them live in assisted living facilities.
Making the decision that it’s time for either you or a loved one to move into assisted living isn’t an easy choice.
Sometimes, though, it’s time. Let’s take a look at night signs that it’s time for assisted living.
1. Accidents Are Happening Frequently
As people age, it is common for accidents or close calls to start occurring more frequently. One of the most common forms of accidents that occur to older people is falling. This type of accident can go undetected for quite a while.
When your loved one moves into senior assisted living, their staff always around. This means that if an accident does happen it will be discovered right away.
2. Medical Care Is Needed More Often
If more frequent medical monitoring is becoming necessary for either you or your loved one, this is a sign that assisted elderly care might be the right next step. Whether they are afflicted with a chronic condition that keeps getting worse or they have been recovering from an injury quite slowly, it can make sense to live in an assisted community to have the medical care present that they need.
3. Caring For Them Has Become Too Much
Caring for a loved one can be an incredibly difficult and taxing task. If you are the caregiver for your loved one and it seems that the amount of care required is becoming increasingly frustrating or tiring, it might be time to look into elderly care options.
As people age, they can become less capable of performing daily tasks on their own and they might become needier.
It’s easy to start feeling guilty if being a caregiver is becoming too difficult. It’s important not to be too hard on yourself, as it is a very hard task indeed. Family members and other caregivers often end up neglecting their own lives and responsibilities.
If you find that you’re in the situation, it might be time to look into getting an in-home nurse or relocating your loved one to a nursing home.
4. Basic Personal Care Tasks Become Too Hard
All people have basic personal care tasks that they must do every day. However, as we age, these tasks that once seemed so simple can become increasingly difficult.
If your loved one confides in you that they are having difficulty performing these tasks or you notice that it seems that they are no longer bathing or wearing the same clothes several days in a row, it might be time to look into senior home care or an assisted community.
5. They’re Diet Is Suffering
Our diet is an essential puzzle piece of our overall well-being. However, it’s common when people age that they no longer pay as much attention to eating a healthy diet.
You might notice that there is always food going bad in the fridge or that they seem to be consistently losing weight.
It’s important for elderly people to eat a healthy diet to support their health. If they are unable to keep up with taking care of themselves in this way, it might be the right thing for them to look into senior home care or assisted elderly care.
6. Housekeeping Is Being Neglected
Another thing that is an important aspect of health is keeping the home clutter-free and clean. Doing so can become harder and harder as people age, and it’s easy for older people to fall behind on housework.
If your loved one can no longer take care of their home, it’s a sign that it might be time to look into assisted living.
7. They Are Experiencing Memory Loss
Sometimes as we age we start to become more and more forgetful. If it seems that your loved one is experiencing cognitive impairments that are related to their age, it’s likely a good idea to seek an assisted living situation.
People can become combative if they continue to lose their memory or experience cognitive impairment. This can be dangerous for both your loved one and the caregiver. At assisted living facilities, the staff are trained to keep all of the patient safe in these types of situations.
8. Financial Obligations Are Being Neglected
Neglecting bills and other financial obligations is often connected with memory loss. There are a lot of things that have to be kept in order as an adult in this world. As we age and sometimes our memories don’t work as well as they used to, it can be hard to keep up with all of these obligations.
Some signs that this is becoming a problem are falling for investment scams, receiving final notices from creditors, or paying bills twice.
9. They’re Home Becomes a Dangerous Place For Them
Some homes are more amenable to elderly people than others. It seems that your loved one is having a hard time navigating their home in ways such as using the stairs, it could be time to look into assisted elderly care.
You also want to think about the location of their home, as living on a busy street could be dangerous if they have a tendency to wander.
Are You Looking For an Assisted Living Facility in the St. Louis Area?
If you are looking for an assisted living facility in the St. Louis area, you’ll want to consider our family-owned operation Mari de Villa. You can take a virtual tour today!
