Trying to decide the best and safest place for your elderly parent to live is emotionally hard and can be confusing. If your parent's mental state is still sound enough, they need to be included when having discussions about where they will live. In fact, your entire family should have a meeting with your parent's primary care physician so everyone understands the different options and the type of help that will be needed.
As your parent ages, taking care of their home and their activities of daily living becomes more challenging for them due to medical ailments and physical limitations. That's when you start wondering — when is the right time to discuss having them move to a senior assisted living community? For some, there is a point when everyone in the family starts to realize that having your parent move to an assisted living community can be a wonderful idea, for many reasons.
As people advance in age, their physical stature and immunity weaken, making them susceptible to life-threatening conditions. As such, most aged people require close supervision and support. Nursing homes provide care to older people who cannot adequately support themselves. Nursing homes have specialist caregivers who support aging people, ensuring their well-being. However, many seniors would prefer to remain in their homes. Daily in-home care services allow seniors to receive assistance and treatment from the comfort of their homes, ensuring safety, independence, and comfort.
When a person is having difficulties with meeting their own self-care needs, an assisted living community can be a practical and effective solution. Yet, this is an option that will often not get the attention that it deserves due to some assumptions that can be easy to make.
Assumption: Residents Of Assisted Living Facilities Have No Freedom
Some people will assume that a resident of an assisted living facility will have little to no freedom when it comes to their daily routine.
As your parent advances in age, there is a strong urge to take care of them on your own. However, being a caregiver can be a real challenge. Beyond assisting them with daily activities, such as dressing, bathing, and eating, senior citizens also need skilled nursing and medical care, which you can't provide.
While family caregiving is a rewarding experience, it can leave you anxious, overwhelmed, and physically and emotionally exhausted.
