Watching someone grow older is always a tough experience, especially if they are a parent or another close loved one in your family. Being there for them takes priority in your life, but it’s almost important to learn how to recognize the signs and know when to hand over the control to an expert.
Assisted Living VS Nursing Homes
Many people shy away from the concept of a “nursing home”, and the term itself sounds a little bleak on it’s own. Assisted living is similar in concept to a traditional nursing home, but it comes with freedom and individuality that is best suited for elderly people who haven’t lost all sense of being and functionality.
Those who are in assisted living homes can care for themselves for the most part, but require some extra help. Nursing homes are more suited for those who are suffering a major loss of function, or are confined to bed, or maybe have severe medical problems.
5 Signs It’s Time For Assisted Living
1. Frequent accidents
Falls, scrapes, cuts, contingency, and other forms of little accidents that start to add up are usually a sign of declining function. As an elder’s eyesight may begin to fail, they’re more likely to slip or bump into things, and recovering from such injuries becomes difficult as the years go by. If you see lots of these little “oops” moments, especially when it relates to loss of bladder control, it’s time to consider assisted living.
2. They become confused and suffer memory loss
If you notice your elderly family member becoming abnormally scatterbrained or frequently being confused and forgetful, they may be entering the early stages of dementia or Alzheimer’s. One of the hardest things to watch a family member go through is losing their memories. Dementia care in Littleton is very important to provide peace, security, comfort, and guidance for your loved one during this tricky time.
3. Their home isn’t safe for them
From staircases to uneven floors, older homes can be a hazard for someone who is aging. As much as your loved one may adore their home and feel safe there, there may come a time when it’s quite the opposite… and when it does, you’ll need to look into a different living situation.
4. Heavy increase in medical needs
Colds and injuries can be major problems for someone in their old age. Elderly people don’t recover like someone young, and those bills can really add up, especially without adequate care to help them get over minor illnesses and injuries without it turning into big problems. Assisted living homes are well equipped with the staff to care for these issues properly.
5. You can’t devote the time to caring for them
No one wants to let their loved ones down in their time of need. It may feel like you are obligated to drop everything to be there for your parents or other close elderly friend, but when it begins to affect your job, mental health, or personal relationships… it’s become too much. Getting help is nothing to be ashamed of.