When is the right time for assisted living?
When someone you love ages, you want to do everything you can to help. But sometimes, through no fault of your own, there may come a time when you have done all you can, and the next step is to move your loved one into the care of an assisted living community.
What time is that?
The truth is, there is no singular "right" time for everyone to enter assisted living. There is only the best time for your family's unique situation.
By reading more below (and contacting us to learn more), you can better understand if making the move to one of our assisted living communities is the right choice for your family.
Signs It's Time for Assisted Living
Moving into a senior living community is not a decision to take lightly, even if it is the right decision. The following 5 signs could indicate that it is indeed the right time for assisted living for your family member.
1. Your loved one gets lonely.
Human beings are social by nature, no matter our age. Regular social interactions are incredibly important for older adults' mental health. Social activities, research shows, can also help stave off or slow down the progression of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.
So, if your loved one seems to be getting lonely and socially withdrawing, senior living could be the next step.
At St. Andrew's, our communities truly are just that—communities. Residents, staff members, and relatives all come together to form a unique dynamic that brings each community to life. No matter what life throws our way, we get strength from knowing that we have a strong support network to support us throughout our journeys.
2. Your loved one needs help on a daily basis.
Change is inevitable with aging. Sometimes those changes include difficulty completing once-simple daily tasks, from getting dressed to grocery shopping. While everyone needs a little help from their friends every now and again, needing consistent help on a day-to-day basis could indicate that your loved one can no longer safely live alone. In such instances, moving to an assisted living community could help improve their safety and overall quality of life.
The St. Andrew's network of assisted living communities is full of passionate caregivers who can help older adults who need some assistance with both physical activities of daily living (ADLs), such as dressing and bathing, and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) like medication management and grocery shopping. This assistance helps residents live full daily lives and never impedes on their sense of independence.
3. Your loved one's level of care changes (and cannot be met at home)
Whether due to physical health issues (hip fractures from falls, etc.) or memory loss and impairment, sometimes people's needs advance to the point that they need professional help. For people with chronic conditions, long-term care could be the solution. For those recovering from an injury or illness, short-term rehabilitation services could help them get back on their feet.
Is your loved one experiencing new or worsening health conditions? Have these conditions affected your relative's care needs? If so, seeking professional help could be the answer. Several locations in the St. Andrew's network offer both long-term assisted living and/or short-term Medicare rehabilitation services.
4. Family members cannot meet caregiving duties.
Millions of adults in the United States take care of their aging or disabled relatives every single day, according to the CDC. There is no doubt that caregiving is an important responsibility that can be incredibly rewarding. There is also no doubt that it can be incredibly draining, too.
The well-being of your aging family member is important, but so too is your well-being. If you and other members of your family find that you all can no longer continue to provide the level of care your loved one needs to be safe, know that it is due to no failure on your part.
Remember that you are not a trained professional, and most people will require some form of professional long-term care in their lifetime.
If you or other unpaid family caregivers need just a little break, short-term respite services can give you the time you need to unwind and recover. However, moving to a senior living community could be the better move if your aging relative's needs have simply surpassed the abilities of untrained caregivers.
5. Your aging relative wants to downsize.
Maintaining a large family home can be a daunting task for anyone. It can be especially difficult with advancing age. In these situations, many people have found that moving to a smaller place—a process known as downsizing—helps them better manage their living space, reduce their monthly expenses, and free up their time that would otherwise be spent on housekeeping and home maintenance work.
