Is it time for Assisted Living?

There’s no place like home for the holidays….

Which usually means a trip home to visit mom and dad. When you visit home, you may wonder, is it time for assisted living? If time has passed since your last visit, you may notice changes in your loved one’s life that signal their health and lifestyle isn’t what it used to be. Oftentimes, it is easy for a senior to cover up daily struggles for short intervals, or over the phone. Their increased needs become apparent whenever you visit for longer periods of time.

Esplanade Gardens resident, Lucy, enjoying the holiday season at Esplanade Gardens

Some common signs that signal it is time to move to an assisted living community include:

• Unsteady on their feet (or with their assistive device)
  • Decreased mobility is common in seniors, who are less likely to engage in regular exercise. Frequent falls could have underlying causes, such as taking medications incorrectly, or not at all.
• Medication Troubles
  • Your loved one may not be taking their medications as prescribed. If you notice they skip their medications in their morning routine, have routinely full or empty medication bottles, or have multiple reminder notes throughout their home, it is time to ask for help.
• Unkempt Home
  • With decreased energy, simple homemaking tasks can lapse. This may include yard work, mopping, laundry, or even choosing not to prepare meals so they will not tire when cleaning up.
• Poor Hygiene
  • Seniors may bathe too little or wear dirty, layered clothes. Your loved one may be dressing unseasonably, or not keeping their hygiene up as they used to in years past.

If you recognize these trends when visiting your loved one at home for the holidays, it may be time to start talking about the move to a community that can lend a helping hand for their daily tasks. For more information about assisted living or dementia care a Esplanade Gardens, call us at 210.566.7600 or email tlindley@esplanadeseniorcampus.com

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