Deciding to move to assisted living is never easy. It’s difficult to acknowledge that you or your loved one is struggling to live on their own after years of independence. Signs can also develop slowly, making it harder to know when it’s the right time. However, making the choice to move into assisted living can help you or your loved one get the help that they need while still living full lives. Knowing what to look for can help make the transition to assisted living easier to make. When you’re familiar with the signs that it’s time for the next step, it’s clearer to see those signs and the decision is easier to make. Read on for the Five Signs That It Might Be Time for Assisted Living of your loved ones.
Falls
Unfortunately, falling happens more regularly with age. As we get older our balance becomes unsteady and we are more susceptible to falling. Old age also means that falls can be more dangerous as it’s more likely that a fall will impact bones. Also, it becomes harder to get up without assistance. Someone who can’t get up after a fall cannot call for help without a device like a medical alert or someone around who can help them.
If falls are happening more frequently or a fall has a particularly rough impact, it’s time to think about assisted living. With assisted living, you can get help after a fall no matter how severe it is. If a fall does lead to further health problems, it’s also easier to get help for that care if you’re already in assisted living.
Health Problems
Many people develop health problems in old age, which can range from mental to physical problems that make managing independent life difficult. If health problems are getting worse, it’s time to consider assisted living. Assisted living providence in RI can help your family develop the right strategies to manage health problems as they get worse.
Even mild chronic health problems can make independent living difficult. Chronic health problems can make recovering from illness more difficult as well. Moving to assisted living can help you or your loved one manage their changing health and live a full life.
Problems Completing Daily Activities
Difficulty completing daily activities is a big sign that it’s time to think about assisted living. Living independently requires completing many tasks, like house and yard work and taking medications. If these activities are becoming more difficult to manage, it’s time to think about an assisted living facility that will help with these tasks. Help with these tasks will help you or your loved one live a fuller life.
It can be hard to admit that you’re struggling to maintain your independence but assisted living can help you maintain a level of independence while getting the help that you need. Some assisted living facilities even allow pets if having an animal around helps with your quality of life. For a lot of people, cost is a major factor but it’s worth noting that there are benefits available to help cover the cost of care. For example, for veterans there is a benefit called Aid and Attendance and for non-veterans there is Medicaid long-term care.
Mobility Issues
If you or a loved one is struggling to move on their own and it’s impacting their life, that can mean that it’s time to consider assisted living. Not being able to move on your own can make it difficult to complete daily tasks, but it can also make maintaining personal hygiene difficult as well which can lead to developing health problems.
Mobility issues can also be a sign of deteriorating health that requires some level of professional care. A professional can help you determine what is happening with you or your loved one and help you find the right next step to continue quality care as your situation changes.
Changes in Mood or Behavior
People’s behavior and attitude change as we get older. If you notice that your elderly loved one is becoming more disoriented, isolated, or aggressive, it’s time to consider assisted living. These changes in behavior and mood are a sign that your loved one needs help to manage their daily lives.
Some of these changes can make it harder for people to get help when they need it. When people act aggressively or isolate themselves, it’s harder for other people to know that they need assistance. By living with professionals, it is easier to have a support system that will help them through their mood swings and behavior changes.
Conclusion
It’s rarely easy to know when it’s time to consider assisted living. It’s hard on families to know when it’s the right time to make changes and how to enact those changes. By monitoring physical and mental health, as well as the state of their house, you can better gauge when it’s time to have a conversation about assisted living.
By knowing what the signs are, it’s easier to decide to move to assisted living. It can be a great way to maintain a level of independence while still getting the professional level of care that you need.
