Talking with your parent about their growing care needs as they get older can be difficult. And it can be a delicate topic if they’re reluctant to talk about it. However, waiting too long to address your loved one’s need for more — or more intensive care — will not help the situation only prolongs their distress. It may even lead to an unhealthy or potentially dangerous situation for them, where they may feel neglected, isolated, or depressed. It's important to understand that moving away from their home to new surroundings can feel a little daunting to many seniors at first. But once they join a warm and vibrant assisted living community in the Delray Beach area, they are often quickly relieved to have made the move.
If you’re not sure whether your parent would benefit from moving to an assisted living community, here are five helpful signs you can watch for that may tell you it’s time for your loved one to explore assisted living.
If you notice your parent suddenly suffers more accidents, falls, or injuries — even if they may seem small to you at first — it’s a good idea to discuss moving to a senior living community where help is always available when needed. Watch out for troubling signs such as them leaving the stove on, seeing the front door open for no reason, or them forgetting to take their medications, as well as taking an incorrect dose. These are all telling signs that your loved one may benefit from living in an assisted living community where well-trained caregivers help them stay healthy and safe.
As we get older, most of us need a little more care. If you’ve noticed your parent needs more help moving around the house, keeping up with their medications, or getting to their doctor’s appointments, moving to an assisted living environment can offer immense help with that. The most notable assisted living communities in Florida have attentive and compassionate care staff readily available that can help residents with getting around, assist with medication management, provide nutritious meals (without having to cook or clean up), and even provide convenient transportation services. Senior living communities also often include superior access to emergency services and 24/7 medical care, should your loved one’s care needs increase further.
If you notice your loved one hasn’t been showering or bathing as regularly, or you notice laundry or dishes piling up, this is often a simple yet telling sign that they could use some help with their basic tasks. Daily chores, such as cooking and cleaning, as well as personal hygiene efforts are often more exhausting to seniors than you may think. While they may be too embarrassed or proud to ask you for help, most seniors find huge relief when they experience how all their undesirable housekeeping tasks are completely taken care of for them in an assisted living community.
Studies show that seniors involved in uplifting peer connections, friendships, as well as joyful social settings tend to be healthier. The next time you visit, ask your loved one how they have been spending their free time and with whom. Inquire if there are any favorite activities, hobbies, or pastimes they miss doing. If they respond negatively, sullen, or even sound depressed, this could be a key sign that they might be much happier in a senior living community where are plenty of friendly neighbors, peers, as well as helpers all around them. And the best Delray assisted living communities offer a lively schedule of activities, events, and trips that your parent may miss and crave in their current living situation.
Whether you are your parent’s current caregiver or whether someone else is, it is always a good idea to check in about possible caregiver exhaustion and even burnout from the caregiver’s side. Caregivers tend to get both emotionally and physically involved in any care situation, and with that often comes exhaustion. And caring for a senior is a hard task no matter the circumstances. So, be alert and compassionate to see if your loved one’s primary caregiver possibly needs a little extra help or support. This could greatly benefit both your loved one’s life, as well as improve overall family connections.
Helping your parent determine that a compassionate assisted living community on Florida’s southeast coast might be a better fit for them than their current living situation, can be challenging. But by paying close attention to your loved one’s changing habits, emotions, and struggles, and by recognizing revealing clues, you can help them make a change for the better in their life. Because your parent truly deserves to enjoy their retirement years to the fullest.
Interested in learning more about assisted living? Download our Complete Guide to Assisted Living here. In this comprehensive guide, you can find answers to your questions as well as about how the process of moving to assisted living works best for everyone involved.