It has been our experience that families wait until there is a crisis to consider senior living for their loved one. Many families tell us they wished they would have moved their loved ones sooner. When a crisis happens, the senior is usually frail and unable to take advantage of all the benefits senior living has to offer. What are signs it is time to seriously consider assisted living?
Difficulty Performing Daily Activities:
Wearing same clothes multiple days
Bathing less frequently - personal hygiene suffering
Not bothering to cook for one person
Skipping meals
Laundry and housekeeping becoming a burden
Spends time in only a few rooms in the house
Memory Loss:
Repeating questions or statements
Multiple phone calls with the same questions
Wandering away from home
Trusting strangers, falling for scams
Becoming the victim of elder abuse
Forgetting to do things they once did
Not paying bills and balancing the check book
Leaving the stove on, frequently misplacing items
Medication Concerns:
Forgetting to take medications Missed dosages - or taking more than required running out of medications Not properly ordering medications from the pharmacy a lot of expired medications around
Lack of Socialization:
Losing touch with friends and isolating themselves
Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed such as going to church
Showing signs of depression, for example sleeping a lot or crying
Loss of spouse, relatives and long-time friends
Fear:
Becoming increasingly paranoid or fearful of others
Afraid to be alone at night
Becoming more dependent on family members
Feel neighborhood is not as safe as it used to be
Safety Concerns:
Stairs and steps make it more likely to fall No help nearby if fall or emergency occurs Difficulty getting in and out of tub or on and off of toilet Increase in 'stuff' around house causing fall risks
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