Assisted Living - When Is The Time Right?
You have known for some time that drastic measures are going to be needed to keep your beloved family member safe. Maybe it’s time to consider an assisted living facility. You have watched their steady mental decline. Now their well-being and the well-being of others may be at risk. At immediate risk is the elderly relative living on their own. Since they are not monitored on a daily basis, the deterioration is quite noticeable when a family member does see them. But guilt frequently deters family members from considering assisted living as an option…until there is no other option.
One of our relatives faced the same dilemma. Dementia reared its ugly head and slowly eroded the aunt we knew—someone who had remained single her whole life, held a responsible job for 40 years with a big corporation and enjoyed watching her nieces and nephews grow up and move on in their lives. That is all a blur to her now.
We wanted her to be able to keep her independence and dignity for as long as possible. For some time we overlooked the obvious signs—stacks of mail building up that was too overwhelming for her to deal with; a virtually empty refrigerator; a constant struggle to find and use everyday words; and many other examples of her inability to cope with other simple issues. Yet, she was still driving her car, predominantly to doctor’s appointments, but on major highways nonetheless. We all struggled with the idea of an assisted living facility because we wanted to help her maintain what independence she had left and to keep her in her residence where she was comfortable.
Then the catalyst occurred that made us reconsider our thinking. She fell one night while trying to use the restroom. Our best guess is that she was on the floor for at least one full day and night. Thank goodness for Meals on Wheels. They were suspicious when she didn’t answer the door for two days and her car was in her driveway. Authorities were called and she was transported to the hospital, then a nursing home and finally an assisted living facility where she remains today. Fortunately for her she doesn’t remember her most recent home; it’s her childhood home that she focuses on.
Sadly, most of us will be faced with similar scenarios some time in our lives. They will all have different twists, but in the end there will be decisions to be made. In-home senior care is definitely a consideration for many to evaluate. In other cases, an assisted living facility is the best choice. Either choice would provide a sense of security and a reduction in the levels of stress for clients and their families. The question remains, “When is it time”?
For more information on Alzheimer’s care for the Denver Metro area, see our article on Alzheimer’s care.
Operations Manager, Barton Home Care