As you get older, your parents do as well. You might notice that their health and needs are changing and might wonder if it's a good idea for them to move into senior housing that cares for senior citizens. If the following things seem familiar to you, it might be time to start working towards senior living arrangements.
Their Cognitive Abilities are Fading
If you notice that your parent has signs of dementia or Alzheimer's disease, you might start thinking about moving them into a senior living center. That's because they may start forgetting to take their medications or might leave the house and wander the neighborhood. An assisted-living facility or a nursing home is staffed throughout the day so that they can ensure your parent takes their medicine and remains in a protected environment.
Their Physical Health is Deteriorating
As your parent continues to age, they may have, or develop, health conditions that worsen over time. If your parent is a diabetic, for example, they might need more insulin during the day. They might be more prone to falls than they were before. You might start to worry that something will happen and you won't know how to handle it.
Therefore, it might be better if they move into a senior living facility. At such a place, they will have access to medical professionals throughout the day; if there is an accident or medical emergency, they can get care right away from professionals who know how to stabilize them and keep them healthy.
You Can No Longer Handle Their Care
As their child, you have likely been helping them with different activities. You might take them grocery shopping, keep their home clean or bathe them. However, as their needs change over time, you may discover that it is more and more difficult for you to do that kind of work on your own. You may be unable to lift them out of their wheelchair, for example, or you might not be able to provide them with constant care because you have to be at work. Seeking out a facility for seniors might be the best way for your parent to get the amount of care they need so that you don't have to do it all alone.
Use the information in this article to come to a decision about whether your aging parent might be better care if they were in a senior housing facility. Visit some facilities in the area so that you can determine which place could be a good fit.
