When one of your parents begins showing signs of dementia or begins losing the ability to handle daily living tasks, the question of where he or she will live can be difficult. Your parents will likely want to continue living together, but the burdens of caregiving may be too great for one parent to handle alone. Choosing assisted living for both parents may be a great option for this type of situation. Here are some of the benefits of choosing assisted living for both parents.

Companionship

Living alone in a nursing home or assisted living community can be difficult emotionally. By keeping both parents together, they can be a source of emotional support for each other. This means that one person is not living alone in the family home while the other is in a different living situation.

Talk to your parents about their hopes for aging together, and look for assisted living communities with apartments that can accommodate a couple.

Transitional Care

While one of your parents may be able-bodied and ready to take on daily household and living tasks now, this can change with time. By having both parents in an assisted living community, they can both receive the extra help they need as they age.

Should both parents develop dementia or other issues, the staff at the assisted living center can begin devising a plan for care. The potential needs for future care can even be discussed during your intake appointments so that there is a plan already in place.

Home-Like Environment

Assisted living communities offer a hybrid of care options. Some may have apartments with fully equipped kitchens so that your parents can continue enjoying meals together, and they may also have cafeterias so that your parents can choose to dine with the community when they don't feel up to cooking.

You may find a community with laundry facilities in the apartment as well as laundry services. These hybrids of services can help your parents continue living in a home-like environment for as long as they choose to, and they can always rely upon additional services when needed.

Medical Care Access

Assisted living communities with on-site nursing staff and medical professionals can respond to medical emergencies quickly, providing the first line of assistance should one of your parents fall or have another type of crisis. If both parents were still at home, and one became injured, getting help might be difficult. This is particularly true if the parent who is injured is the one not exhibiting signs of dementia.

Before you begin looking at assisted living communities, talk to your parents about their wishes. You can then balance their wants with their medical and emotional needs to find the perfect fit.