Moving a parent to an assisted living facility can be a difficult decision for both the parent and child. Children often desire to see their parents the way they were before, as strong and independent people. Often children can overlook the signs of decline of their parents. Here are 10 questions to ask yourself that will help determine if you should consider assisted living:
- Does your parent have trouble moving safely around the home?
- Is the house and yard as clean as it used to be or left cluttered and unkempt?
- Are mail and bills piling up?
- Is your parent leaving food in the refrigerator uneaten or spoiled?
- Have you seen your parent wearing the same clothes over and over again?
- Does your parent bathe regularly?
- Is your parent capable of taking medications correctly?
- In the case of an emergency such as a fire could your parent respond appropriately?
- Does your parent have any signs of bruises from falling?
- Can your parent operate appliances correctly?
If you answered yes to even a couple of these questions it might be time to consider assisted living. Here is a link to our Assisted Living page where you can find out more information and search for assisted living facilities near you. You also might want to consider a Continuing Care Retirement Community. These communities are designed for elderly residents to move in while they still live relatively independently and to stay for the rest of life.