Do you worry about your aging parent when you’re not there? Discover the most common signs that supportive assisted living is needed.
If you bear the responsibility of caring for an aging parent, you may be too close to the daily deterioration in your parent’s functioning to see the bigger picture. Cognitive difficulty or behavioral changes attributed to old age may really be signs that a parent needs more help to remain safe and healthy.
The definition of assisted living is requiring help with multiple activities of daily living – eating, bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, medication management and continence. These activities affect a person’s ability to do housework, prepare meals, go shopping, drive and take prescription medication. They can also place the person at risk of falling down stairs or slipping in the shower.
Here’s what to look for:
Loss of mobility or increase in falls
Needing reminders to take medication
No longer able to groom
Inability to prepare meals daily
Noticeable weight loss or gain
Loss of interest in hobbies
Signs for neglecting home maintenance
Increased isolation
What’s Next?
If you’re like many adult children of aging parents, you’re waiting for a crisis to convince your loved one that assisted living is necessary. A fall or catastrophic medical event, a traffic accident while driving, an episode of confused wandering, succumbing to a predatory scam, forgetting to eat or take medications all will likely precipitate the move to a more secure, monitored setting. Please don’t wait until this happens!
Research & Tour Now
You don’t want to be scrambling to find an opening in an appropriate community when mom is being discharged from the hospital or when you’re experiencing caregiver fatigue. Do your homework now, while your parent can come with you, to compare communities and agree on one that works for everyone.
Move Sooner Rather Than Later
It may be that your loved one can thrive in an independent living apartment for a good, long time, especially when a la cart support services such as Springbrooke’s Companion Plus lend a hand. Waiting may facilitate more intervention, say to assisted living or memory care, instead of independent living.
Alleviate The Stress of Home Care
Caring for an aging parent at home works best when the responsibility is shared among several people. It lessens caregiver burnout and enables busy adult children to meet the responsibilities of work, raising their own children and leading busy lives. However, there’s always a sense of worry of what will happen to mom or dad when left alone. A senior living community creates peace of mind and the freedom that comes with it for both residents and their families.
Make a Plan Today
Tour Springbrooke and several other senior living communities with your loved one before a crisis. You can reach us at 303-331-9963 or at marketing.springbrooke@elkco.net