A Guide to Signs That Assisted Living May Be the Right Move
Choosing to transition into assisted living is not easy. Even knowing when the time is right is not clearly defined. Here are 11 signs that it might be time to consider moving into assisted living:
You are not eating as well as you would like.
Perhaps you don’t want to cook anymore, and most of your dinners are frozen, microwave meals, or delivered from a restaurant. Are you maintaining a well-balanced diet or often eating alone? Eating well is essential for feeling your best.
You are often bored and feeling isolated.
Do you watch way more TV than you might want? Maybe you are not driving anymore, or you lack the motivation to get out and do things you used to enjoy. Your social circle is diminishing, and you worry about becoming a burden on your family members.
You are finding it a challenge to maintain your home.
You can hire housekeepers, landscapers or handy persons but still have difficulty staying on top of scheduling, managing and paying all these companies.
You have anxiety about something happening.
Perhaps family members regularly worry about something bad happening when you are alone. You have an emergency alert pendant, but you don’t wear it regularly.
You do not actually like having caregivers in your space.
Staying home might be your goal, but you may end up feeling a lack of privacy with caregivers in your home. It seems counterintuitive, but in an assisted living residence, you will have more privacy. Residents have their own, unfurnished apartment and receive care support only when they need or want it.
The cost of staying home with care becomes too much.
Around-the-clock care at home is expensive and an out-of-pocket expense. Assisted living is a more affordable option for someone who is not eligible for Medicaid but needs 24-hour support.
You have been falling or you have a fear of falling.
Maybe it’s in the shower or coming down the stairs, but you have recurring concerns about what could happen if you have a fall.
You’ve missed a few doses of your medications
If you miss medications here and there or you are often second-guessing whether you took them, you may need professional assistance. Even over-the-counter medications can be dangerous if you don’t remember if you took them and take them again.
You have a diagnosis that predicts a need for support.
Receiving a diagnosis like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s Disease is hard, but waiting until your symptoms progress to start planning for care only makes things harder.
You are the caregiver for your spouse at home
Caregiving is tiring and can be stressful. Assisted living communities offer support that is already in place for your spouse if something happens to you.
You are already thinking about making a transition.
If you are reading this article, you are already questioning when you may need assisted living. The truth is that there are many benefits to moving into an assisted living community even before you have a need. You just might find a better quality of life after a transition to an assisted living residence.