Are you trying to decide whether it is the best time to transition a senior loved one to an assisted living community? Knowing the right indicators on when to make this decision is critical as you need to be invested in the wellbeing of your elderly family members. Here are seven signs it’s time to consider assisted living.
Deteriorating health
If your loved one’s health is deteriorating by the day, there is no better way to ensure they receive proper care than by ensuring a well-trained team is taking care of them. Assisted living communities such as Longhouse offer you the benefits of a ready team that offers nursing services to the elderly.
Poor hygiene
A red flag you must never ignore when evaluating the state of your senior loved ones is poor hygiene. This is often caused due to self-neglect due to physical or mental impairment and manifests through unkempt hair, unpleasant body odor, dirty clothing, and unsanitary living conditions. The best intervention in these instances is to place seniors under the watch of professional caregivers.
Dietary concerns
Have you noticed a significant weight loss in your senior loved ones? Or found out they have inadequate or rotten food in the house? This should be worrying as the elderly always need proper nutrition for good mental and physical health. Unfortunately, you cannot resolve diet-related struggles by constantly shopping for your loved ones as you need to ensure their meals are well prepared and eaten on time. A lasting solution to this problem is assisted living care, where meals are guaranteed to be cooked and served at appropriate hours.
Recent accidents and falls
Regardless of how strong your loved one was when they chose retirement, time will take a toll on them. One way to know that a senior is having a hard time living independently is through the frequent occurrence of accidents and falls. You must never ignore these incidents as they are a major cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries among the elderly. To avoid these risks, you need to ensure your senior loved ones stay in a safe and monitored environment where they are less likely to get hurt.
Inability to handle daily tasks
If daily chores are overburdening your senior loved ones, it is time to consider the benefits of assisted living communities. The odds are higher if they have recently been diagnosed with a chronic medical condition and need extra care.
Loneliness and isolation
Whether the initial plan of your elderly loved one was to find the most exciting locations to retire or spend years traversing the world, they soon find themselves alone after a few years. This could be caused by the death of a close partner, feeling of neglect, or health conditions that propel them to isolate themselves. Luckily, you can make them feel whole again by signing them up for an assisted living community where they get to spend time with their peers.
Endnote
Assisted living communities should be a top consideration for the elderly who can no longer live independently. Noticing these signs should be a wake-up call that it is time to take action for the good of your senior loved ones.
