Menu
As you reflect on your day-to-day life, or the life of your loved one, you may be wondering if the actions youâre observingâsuch as more accidents, increase in poor judgement, or difficulty managing day-to-day tasksâare sporadic bouts, or a sign that it may be time to receive additional support such as transitioning to an assisted living community. Check out our list of five signs that show it may be time to consider assisted living.
As we get older, our bodies begin to decline, and minor accidents such as falling become very real concerns. While the occasional accident is common and shouldnât raise any red flags, multiple accidents or falls within a short period of time should be examined. The cause for the increase may be something as simple as a vitamin B12 deficiency or a clogged ear duct, both of which can be easily remedied by a general physician. However, the cause could also be something more severe, requiring a higher level of care than a caregiver can provide. In that case, it may be time to start looking for an assisted living community.
We all make poor decisions every now and then. However, after making a poor decision, most people look back and think: âWhy did I do that?â and learn from their mistake. Recognizing our error, we hopefully donât make that same mistake again (or at least make it less often). Unfortunately, that is not always the case with an elderly loved one. If your loved one has been making poor decisions more frequentlyâgiving out credit card or bank account information to strangers, incorrectly using household appliances, or layering on clothing to sit outside during a summer dayâit may be time to make an appointment with their physician and start looking for an assisted living care community.
Activities of daily living (ADLs) include everything from brushing our teeth to putting our shoes on in the morning, and for most people these tasks become second nature. For an older adult who may be in need of an assisted living community, these seemingly elementary daily tasks become challenging, even overwhelming. As a result, an elder may give up on certain tasks.
As a care partner, you may repeatedly tell your loved one that they âneed to shower more oftenâ or âchange clothes because thatâs the same outfit from three days ago.â Your loved one is likely to become frustratedâthey may either believe that theyâve already completed the task, or may have forgotten how to do it at all. Assisted living care communities offer an ideal solution for this situation.
Isolation is not uncommon for older adults who are experiencing both cognitive and physical changes. As a family member, you will notice these withdrawal habits long before anyone else does. At this point, itâs probably time for a heart-to-heart with your loved one. You may believe that your loved one is suffering from depression. However, while depression is not uncommon in older adults, it is not always the correct label for their recent withdrawn behavior.
It could be that your loved one is aware that they are undergoing cognitive and physical changes, but theyâre having difficulty understanding these experiences. This recognition of changes can cause your loved one to isolate themselves, afraid that others will notice that âsomething isnât right with them.â Assisted living care communities provide safe havens for individuals experiencing this issue and a place where they can live with others who are going through similar changes. In an environment designed to cater to their needs, your loved one can begin to thrive.
Forgetfulness is not the same thing as cognitive decline. For example, forgetting where you left your keys is different than forgetting that you ever had keys in the first place. Cognitive decline is not a natural form of aging. Short-term memory loss, forgetting to take medication, taking too much medication, unpaid or overpaid bills, and hoarding are all byproducts of cognitive decline.
Cognitive decline is defined as an actual degeneration and breakdown of brain matter over time. Therefore, we can expect that a person living with cognitive decline will experience not only changes in cognitive functioning, but physiological changes as well. If your loved one is experiencing any of the following symptoms, it may be time to consult a geriatrician or neurologist to determine the best way to care for them. It may be time to start looking for an assisted living care community for specialized care.
If you or your loved one have been experiencing these symptoms, we encourage you to speak with one of our care consultants.
Image credit: istockphoto.com
