Assisted living includes a pretty wide spectrum of senior living options from adult family homes to long term care facilities. Most often, we are helping people transition from fully independent living situations to environments where they get the help they need at the level they need it.
Frequently a family will decide it’s time to move mom or dad to an assisted living environment because the parent has come to a point in life where they no longer care for themselves as well as they should. Often there is some resistance from Mom or Dad. Especially when they have lived in their home for many years, often raising their children and entertaining their grand children and great grand children there.
Many families will first try in-home care. Having someone come in a few times a week to prepare meals and make sure that the elder person is keeping up with things like eating and taking their medications, helping with basic household chores etc.
Unfortunately, there is often so much resentment that the situation is not only uncomfortable for the senior, but it is difficult to keep help coming in. The good news is, in many cases, if you can just get your loved one to tour a facility they may realize how much their quality of life can improve.
It’s a story oft repeated. A person has lived in his or her home for many many years. It was their neighborhood and they were not going to abandon it. They watch TV during the day, or at least have it turned on “for company.” As a result, it is not uncommon to doze in the chair most of the day and then not sleep at night.
Living alone, without anyone else to notice, they’ll make a meal when they feel like it. Yes, on occasion the sink may get clogged and the water left on due to a distraction, leading to a little flood. Then there are the times the stove is left on and the house gets all smoked up. “Almost a fire, but we didn’t have one,” they’ll say with a laugh. Is that a note of fear underlying that chuckle?
It’s easy to eat cold cereal. Sometimes several times a day, leading to weight loss. Maybe their supposed to take a couple of medications, but lose track of time, so the medications are taken at an inappropriate time or neglected altogether.
Finally, the family insists. Mom or Dad are “dragged, kicking and screaming”, into an assisted living center near the old neighborhood. To great surprise Mom or Dad may even run into an old friend. An old friend they thought had “abandoned the old neighborhood”.
Gradually, anger melts away. Your loved one eats well. They make friends, gain weight and take their medication right. Much of their improved health is due to becoming socially connected again. It isn’t long before your loved one is telling people that moving to the center was their idea. “Too bad the kid fought it so,” they say.
Some people are a perfect fit for assisted living, and, though it may take some doing to get them there, it is worth it. So, how do people decide that assisted living is the right option? As with in-home care, adult day services and nursing homes, there are questions to ask and choices to be made.
Contact us today and we will help you with the process.
