Deciding when it is time to consider assisted living for an aging parent can be a difficult and emotional process. There are many factors to consider, including the physical and cognitive health of the parent, their ability to perform daily tasks, and their overall quality of life.
Ability with daily tasks
One important factor to consider is the parent's ability to safely perform daily tasks, such as bathing, dressing, and preparing meals. If your parent is struggling to perform these tasks or is at risk of injury while attempting to do so despite making environmental changes to support them, assisted living may be a good option.
Cognitive Health and Memory Changes
Another factor to consider is the parent's cognitive health. If your parent is experiencing memory loss or cognitive decline, assisted living facilities may be able to provide the necessary support and supervision to ensure their safety.
At AskSAMIE, our goal is to create accessibility everywhere while letting people know that aging in place is possible for anyone with the right adaptations in place. But we know that sometimes, even after we've made some adaptive equipment changes there are times that's just not enough.
A good rule of thumb is if more than 6 hours per day of paid in home caregiving is required for living safely it may be more effective financially and functionally to be in assisted living.
Having more social interactions
It is also important to consider the social aspect of assisted living. Many assisted living facilities offer activities and opportunities for socialization, which can be beneficial for people who otherwise may have been isolated at home.
Ultimately, the decision to move a parent to an assisted living facility should be based on their individual needs and preferences, as well as a careful evaluation of the available options. It may be helpful to speak with a geriatric care manager or other professional from companies like CarePatrol to assess the specific needs of your parent and determine the best assisted living facility for your loved ones needs.
There are many resources available to help families navigate the process of deciding on assisted living for an aging parent. The following articles provide additional information and guidance on this topic:
- "Assisted Living: Making the Decision" by the National Institute on Aging
- "How to Know When It's Time for Assisted Living" by the AARP
- "Deciding on Assisted Living: A Guide for Families" by the Family Caregiver Alliance
How we can help
Sometimes an unbiased and knowledgeable opinion os what's needed. We can provide that with our occupational therapists via a virtual assessment. Let us connect with you and your family and talk through how things are going now, what can be done at home to make it safer and specifically what points to consider when deciding whether to make it easier to age in place or work towards moving.
Knowing all your options can really make the decision process much more clear and easier for your loved one to also be on board with so let us tell you what it would take to make staying at home effective so you can compare that with what would result in moving. Schedule that virtual assessment right here and we looking forward to helping!
