Knowing when to consider assisted living can be difficult for seniors and their loved ones. Learning more about the types of needs that assisted living is equipped to meet can help ease the stress of the decision-making process.
How Do You Know When to Consider Assisted Living?
Is it time for you or a senior loved one to consider assisted living? Every senior has unique and changing needs, so there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. But if one or more of the statements below apply to you or your senior loved one, assisted living might be the perfect next step.
Your loved one needs more support with chores or home maintenance.
One sign that assisted living may be beneficial is when daily or ongoing chores and home maintenance tasks become increasingly difficult or overwhelming. At assisted living facilities, seniors no longer have to worry about vacuuming, laundry, doing the dishes, cleaning the bathroom, taking out the trash, doing yard work, staying on top of repairs and maintenance, and more. Eliminating chores can mean eliminating a significant source of stress for many seniors, freeing them up to spend their time and energy on activities that bring them joy.
Your loved one lacks opportunities to socialize with or meet new friends.
Loneliness and social isolation are serious concerns for aging adults. One National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine study found that over 25 percent of adults 65 and older are socially isolated.
The consequences of social disconnection affect all aspects of a person’s well-being, from mental to physical health. Research has found that loneliness and social isolation increase older adults’ risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, anxiety, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease. It even increases mortality risk by 50 percent – more than even obesity or excessive alcohol consumption.
Assisted living communities can help seniors make friends, pursue their interests, and connect to a broader community. A well-equipped, active senior living community should offer plenty of ways to socialize. Many assisted living communities provide the opportunity to participate in optional activities, groups, or clubs on and off-site. Common assisted living amenities include restaurant-style dining, walking paths, craft and fitness classes, holiday parties, community hang-out rooms, and more.
Your loved one needs help keeping up with personal care or other activities of daily living.
Activities of daily living – like bathing, dressing, using the toilet, and personal care – can become more difficult with age. If you or a loved one needs more regular assistance with personal care tasks, assisted living can help. Some assisted living communities will even have an on-site beauty salon or barber shop, making it easy to access extra services that help you look and feel your best.
You’ve noticed a change in your loved one’s mood, memory, or health.
Significant mood, memory, or overall health changes can indicate the need for more structured support. Assisted living facilities are equipped to offer this support by providing services including care coordination, medication management, and 24/7 staff availability.
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Do you have more questions about when to consider assisted living? If you need more guidance, Springhouse Village can help. We are an active living community where residents feel connected to each other and to the community at large. By offering three levels of care (Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care), we make it easy for elders to age in place, easing transitions in care and reducing fear. Our residents have the highest level of care throughout all their life stages, and each home is designed with residents’ changing needs in mind.
To learn more about our amenities and services, contact Springhouse Village today by sending us a message online or calling 417-708-3403.