When to Consider Assisted Living

The most difficult decision to make when moving a loved one from their home into a senior facility is when to make the move. Many times, the decision is not made until there is a crisis, when making the decision earlier may have helped to avoid a crisis situation.

What are some signs that 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 like paying bills and balancing the check book
Leaving the stove on, frequently misplacing items

Medication concerns:

Forgetting to take medications - resulting in missed dosages - or taking more than required
Running out of medications - or 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