Navigating health care decisions later in life isn’t always a straightforward proposition. One of those decisions may be trying to decide when it's the right time to move from independent living to assisted living.
Independent Living vs. Assisted Living
There’s a distinct difference between independent living and assisted living. Assisted living communities are designed to alleviate the burden of daily tasks and chores that might prove challenging to some, due to different life or health circumstances. Residents in assisted living communities often need help with bathing, dressing, housekeeping, and other activities. There’s never a lack of things to consider when transitioning to assisted living.
But before you even get to the finer details of which community would offer the best fit for your personal needs, you'll need to decide if and when it's time for you or a loved one to move to assisted living. Red flags often start to signal when it's time and the decision is often triggered when people begin feeling overwhelmed with tasks that are necessary for independent living, such as grocery shopping, laundry, cleaning the home and cooking meals.
In some instances, family members, caregivers or friends might be the first to spot warning signs that may include:
- A worsening of medical conditions, an increased number of falls and overall increased frailty.
- Difficulty managing domestic finances or other money problems.
- Difficulty in the kitchen or keeping the house clean and a decline in ability to care for oneself.
- Depression or social isolation.
One classic example of looking for the right time to transition is a senior who has recently lost the spouse responsible for taking care of the housework, meals and shopping. The surviving spouse may struggle to cook or clean adequately while also being lonely after the death of a partner.
Another is when a senior develops multiple medical problems. Progressive or neurological diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease or dementia, often hasten the discussion of when to move to assisted living. As these chronic conditions progress, the senior often needs more day-to-day help.
Making important decisions under pressure or with high emotions can create stress or even a panic situation. This can prevent families from making a thoroughly informed choice about the right community. Negative or difficult feelings can be alleviated by starting the conversation early and talking often about what’s next on the journey of aging. Some seniors or families speak to their physicians or pastor who may make a referral to a social worker, financial planner, eldercare attorney or family counselor who works with families in transition.
Keep in mind that moving sooner sometimes offers seniors the opportunity to actually get excited about new possibilities. When the research and family conversations are done right, it can be a really powerful experience for the whole family. Moving to a community that meets the social, mental, physical and spiritual needs may not only improve the quality of life, it might even improve overall health.
So when is the right time to transition? There is no real right time, but there are plenty of things to consider. That’s where seniors and families can rely on the advice, resources and support of Christian Care Communities which has successfully met the needs of older adults and families for 139 years. Christian Care supports thousands of seniors and their families annually with the help of our professional staff who is dedicated to our three pillars of service – FAITH. CARE. FAMILY. – it’s who we are. Please consider contacting us to discuss your personal transition plan and discover which of our communities may be ideal for your needs and “wish list” of features and amenities. We are Kentucky's largest faith-inspired non-profit provider of affordable senior living solutions at ChristianCareCommunities.org and we hope to be able to serve you.