Making the decision for assisted living is hard enough. From recognizing the signs to finding the perfect time to reach out for help, making the decision for assisted living is almost impossible to get right.
Luckily, there are signs that you can pay attention to that will help you answer the major question at hand, “When is it time for assisted living?”
How to Recognize When it is Time for Assisted Living
To start, we are going to focus on two major areas of focus: personal signs and household signs. By keeping a close eye on these major factors, you and your loved one can work together on finding the perfect time for assisted living.
Personal Signs
Personal interactions with your loved one is one of the best way to keep tabs on the need for assisted care. As you talk with your loved one, make sure you are keeping these major care factors in mind.
1 – Memory
Memory is a major contributing factor for your loved ones, especially if they are suffering from dementia in any form. As you talk to your loved one, make sure to pay attention to their stories.
If they tell the same stories with different people, you need to pay attention. Should they start losing their train of thought, try to help them along their thought process. When they tend to lose the thought altogether, it’s time to start paying attention to their care needs.
We aren’t talking about forgetting a few items at the store while they are out, but rather, forgetting major events like their favorite grandchild’s birthday. When these episodes start to happen more than once in a blue moon, it’s about time to find help for placement. We aren’t saying it will be necessary that particular point in time, but you need to have your options ready.
2 – Behavior
Your loved one’s behavior is another major sign it’s time to look into options for dementia assisted living. As patients start to get into the middle and later stages of dementia, you might start to see major shifts in their attitudes. Some patients get very angry for random reasons, and others will become more reclusive.
If you loved one is already under assisted care, these signs can come from multiple areas. It could be that your loved one hates their caregivers, or it could be that your caregiver is the one having issues with your loved one. It could even be that you are having issues caring for your loved one the way you should.
At the end of the day, you should be helping your loved one get the best care possible. That means helping them move beyond the anger, discomfort, or stress.
3 – Lost in Familiar Areas
Getting lost is one of the biggest signs that assisted living should be on the list of care options. I’m not talking about getting lost in new areas because anyone can do that. This kind of lost is far more intense and happens in areas your loved one knows. If you loved one is getting lost at the market they frequent, something is wrong.
Household Signs
There are few signs to pay attention to in the household as well. These household signs are major indicators that your loved one is experiencing extreme personality shifts.
1 – They Aren’t Doing Normal Chores
Mom and Dad usually keep a very clean household, but lately, that has been changing. They aren’t on top of the laundry or dishes the way they used to be, and the lawn is unkept. These are all major signs that something is wrong, and it might be time to look into assisted living options.
2 – Molding Items in the fridge
Along with the chores falling to the wayside, the refrigerator is another key to telling if there is a problem they aren’t talking about. Finding molding items in the fridge is common with dementia patients. There could also be multiples of the same items like milk or other perishables. If you start to see items stacking up in the fridge and going bad, talk to your loved one about their home life. If they are struggling to keep everything up, you should look into hiring help or look into assisted living options.
3 – Home Safety
Sometimes your loved one seems perfectly fine, but you still notice things around the house aren’t kept to the standard they used to be. This could be due to your loved one having a harder time getting around the house to complete their tasks. If this is the case, you might want to look into getting them items to help with home safety. Maybe mom is having issues with stairs. Look into getting an elevator to help with getting up and down the steps. Maybe Dad can’t get out to mow the lawn. Look into a lawn care service. Should they let their mail pile up, have a neighbor grab their mail and drop it off each day. If they can’t seem to remember to turn off the stove burners, hire someone to cook for them. It’s up to you to help your loved one stay safe in their home. If your loved one keeps getting hurt in their own home, it’s time to look into more intensive assisted living options.
Safe, Secure, and Loved
Keeping an eye on your loved one isn’t easy. What is easy, is jumping to conclusions about the need for assisted living. The first sign isn’t always the one that should make you jump, but it should be a sign to start preparations. As the symptoms of dementia start to progress, being prepared will make any transition you make easier to cope with.
If you need help finding assisted living options for dementia patients, you can always reach out to Above and Beyond Senior Care Placement. Our free services help you understand the options that are available for your loved one’s care. We help you find the option that makes sense for you, your loved one, and the budget at hand.
Let us help guide you and your loved one through these dark times, so your loved one gets the care they need.