Knowing When It's Time For an Assisted Living Community

As an Assisted Living Community in Greenville, South Carolina, we often consult with families trying to understand "when home is not enough" any longer for mom or dad. Each situation is different, and requires taking a number of factors into consideration. Sometimes, the decision is influenced by sickness, an accident-related injury or other conditions associated with aging. For other seniors, transformations can be more subtle. We generally encourage families to assess the following warning signs to help gauge when seniors may need alternative living arrangements.

• Current living environment - is it safe? What if mom trips and falls on her way to the kitchen? What if dad falls down the stairs? What if mom gets trapped behind her walker in a little bathroom? Can dad safely make his way to the kitchen and get himself food? Is the food easily accessible? Can he reach the plates? Will somebody check in on him? What if that person is delayed, or prevented from coming? Are the kitchen, the bedroom and the bathroom on different floors?
• Normal ambulation - is she having difficulty walking, moving around, or is she falling? Mobility is one of the most common abilities that become impaired as we age. Elders can feel discouraged by their lack of mobility since they might not be able to perform activities that they used to be able to do. Mobility impairment can trigger depression, loss of motivation and even circulation problems, since free movement is one of our methods of definining our independence.
• Daily living habits - is she having difficulty with such routine needs as dressing, grooming, bathing or taking medications? For our elderly, these basic physical actions can be painful, frustrating and extremely difficult due to bodily restrictions caused by frailty, disability or illness. Concerning medications, there are many other issues beyond the physical. Is the senior safely managing their medication? Are they using the correct medication at the correct time? Are the medications stored appropriately? Is the senior at a greater risk for falls due to not correctly managing their medications?
• Caregiver's Capacity - is the primary caregiver up to the challenge? Is the contant care required of an elderly parent beyond the primary caregiver's physical capability? Has the caregiver become impatient or irritable in the new role?
• Social Engagement - would ongoing activity and programming and increased social interaction and stimulation improve her happiness? We all need to feel loved and supported - especially as we age. As we get older, friends really can be lifesavers. A number of studies have reported fewer colds, lower blood pressure and lower heart rates in participants with strong social ties. Other studies show that seniors who have social support and lower levels of depression were associated with less heart attacks, open-heart surgeries and cardiovascular disease than seniors who don't have social support. Another study reported that seniors who take part in social activities live an average of two and a half years longer than people who spend most of their time by themselves.
• Quality of Life - Would placement outside the home result in more enjoyable visits and outings between your loved one and primary family caregiver(s)?