Should Your Loved One Be In Assisted Living?

Updated on April 20, 2021

There are many things to consider as our loved ones age and become elderly, the biggest undoubtedly being how to care for them when they can no longer care for themselves. There comes a time in the lives of many when they must, for their own safety and well-being, as well as the health and benefit of their caregivers, enter into assisted living. This is often a very difficult decision and even harder transition. That’s why it’s necessary to not only find one of the best senior assisted living facilities for your loved one, but to also find the right time for them to move. Helping them move at just the right time will make the process much easier for them and for you.

Health And Safety

One of the first things to consider when wondering whether or not your loved one would be better off in assisted living is the condition of their health. If both their mental and physical health are still relatively good for their age and they are able to adequately care for themselves while alone then they probably don’t need to be in assisted living. However, if they are experiencing health issues, as happens frequently with age, and they are at higher risk for illness or injury, then you may want to consider assisted living. Bethany Homes will be able to monitor them around the clock to both prevent such things and intervene if anything happens. 

Caregiver Stress

Even if your loved one is still living alone, it is likely that there are those who check on them frequently and perform regular household tasks. A caregiver may help with meals, grocery shopping, cleaning, bathing, laundry and even tasks like dressing and eating. These things can be very time consuming, especially if the caregiver also has a job to attend or children to care for. Caring for an elderly loved one is also taxing physically and emotionally, it’s hard to see someone you love in deteriorating condition and to wonder if you are doing enough to help them, and lifting them and helping them get around can take a toll on your body.

Wandering

As people age, they can develop Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Such conditions affect their mental state and may cause them to wander off on their own. This can happen at any time during the day or night and can easily result in the person getting lost or hurt and it can even be fatal. It is impossible for one person to monitor someone at all times, even if they had no other responsibilities in life. If someone is prone to wander off, an assisted living facility would be able to keep an eye on them as they have multiple staff members on duty around the clock and they also have other measures in place, like locked doors and alarms, that are able to ensure their residents’ safety.

If you notice some of these trends in your loved one’s life, it may be a sign that it’s time for them to enter an assisted living facility. While it’s not something you want to do too early, you also don’t want to wait too long as doing so may result in an illness or injury for your loved one. 

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