As your loved one ages, it becomes increasingly difficult to see them struggling with daily life, and cope with the changes in their body. If you are currently experiencing this, it may be beneficial to consider whether your loved one is suitable for assisted living. Candidates for an assisted living community typically struggle with the following:
Difficulties in Daily Living
A telltale sign of how much care an elderly may require is how well they can perform activities of daily living, also known as ADLs. These routines are divided into these categories:
- Personal Hygiene: Bathing, grooming, personal care
- Continence Management: Ability to use the toilet independently
- Dressing: Being able to dress appropriately
- Feeding: Ability to feed themselves independently
- Ambulating: Physical ability to walk, move, transfer into different positions independently
By assessing how well your loved one fares in these ADLs, you can gain a basic understanding of how much care they require as a whole. Assisted living can cater to your loved ones if they require more intensive care that you may not be trained to provide.
Worsening Health
As your loved one ages, the more likely they are to suffer from an aging-related chronic medical condition. For example, 1 in 4 US adults has been diagnosed with arthritis, which is highly common, especially in older adults. If your loved one has a chronic condition, assisted living communities are suitable for their need for committed, round-the-clock care. Furthermore, assisted living can preserve your loved one’s health by having protection in the form of professional teams and emergency tools.
Messiness and Poor Hygiene
Independent living as an elderly also includes being able to maintain a clean, safe environment for oneself. Hence, if you notice that your loved one’s home or living space is becoming increasingly messy, unorganized, or even filthy, it’s a definite sign of concern. This could be an indicator that your loved one is losing their physical ability to clean up after themselves, or it could be an emotional problem. If your loved one is unable to live on their own without worsening their own quality of life, assisted living is suitable for them. Many assisted living communities offer housekeeping and other home maintenance services, as well as cooking and other conveniences. Such services allow your loved one to enjoy a consistently comfortable life in safety.
Emotional Wellbeing Concerns
Isolation is especially common in older adults, which is unfortunate because it has both adverse physical and mental health impacts. Furthermore, the distress of aging and loneliness can lead to depression or anxiety, both being highly common in the elderly. Ultimately, these conditions have been linked to the mortality rate of older adults. Assisted living can encourage your loved ones to become more social, giving them more opportunities to interact with other individuals similar to them in age, interests, and more.
Morada Cedar Hill Can Lend a Hand
If you’re in the South, Morada Cedar Hill is a great option for those looking to introduce their loved ones to an assisted living community. Take a look at our senior living options and get in touch with us so we can support both you and your loved one effectively.
