As a caregiver to an elderly loved one you may feel guilty about feeling like the job is a burden. You know you love them and you want to help them and you do anything for them but the truth is the constant care that they need is becoming too much for you. You shouldn’t feel bad, you should be honest. If you are afraid of disappointing the one you’re caring for or other relatives, here are some practical things to look for that may point to the fact that it’s time for your loved one to be in one of the assisted living facilities nearby.
- Safety
The truth is, you cannot be there every single second of every single day but if you are afraid for your loved one safety when you’re not around, this is concerning. You should be able to let them out of your sight for a few minutes without worrying if they are causing harm to themselves. If you cannot do this senior living services at many assisted living facilities will include 24 hour care and watch so you can have the peace of mind to sleep and relax. - Aggression
Many times if a person has dementia or another condition they can become verbally or physically aggressive. The frustration and confusion that they feel and sometimes only be expressed like this but you do not have to simply sit there and take it. If you are suffering or beginning to feel resentful at the abuse, it is time to look into assisted living facilities. - Higher care needs
Are the needs of your loved one increasing? You may not be able to keep up with the escalating needs. At times it can be the lack of physical ability that is continuing to deteriorate. Other times it could be their mental state that you’re not able to deal with because you remember when they were fully capable and sharp in their brain and mind. It is hard especially for children to see their parents forget simple things, get lost in an area that was familiar or difficulty challenging their mind. They were always wiser, more knowledgeable and in control and seeing them even need help bathing can be very upsetting. - Increased accidents
It may be time if your loved one has recently been hurting themselves a lot more. Falls could be very dangerous in the elderly and must be avoided if at all possible. Many times as people get older their response time is slower so fender bender accidents, tripping or falling, falling out of bed, burning or cutting themselves while cooking can begin to happen a lot more often. It can be a scary time but you should not feel like you have to watch your loved one like a hawk. Assisted living facilities have programs that can allow your loved one to continue doing what they love but under supervision, even if it is potentially dangerous like cooking or sewing. - Noticeable weight loss
If your person’s clothes are beginning to look loose or they are forgetting how to cook or went to eat, they need senior living services that can help them to remember simple things like eating without being demeaning or condescending. If your loved one is seeming more frail, chances are they are not eating very well which does not help and already feeling strength. Unsteadiness and lack of balance all factor in to this point as well.
The main thing you want to look for an assisted living facilities is that the people that work there try to maintain a sense of independence and opinion in their residents. It can be frustrating for your loved one to realize that they’re getting older and are not able to do things like they used to and the last thing they need is someone treating them poorly or patronizingly. Look for a senior living center that strives to have a relationship with the residents. There is more to it than just care giving. A good assisted living facility will take time to get to know who they’re taking care of and factor in their desires and opinions when doing so.
