11 1/2 Signs It Might Be Time for Assisted Living

It can be tough for older adults to rely on others for help, just as it’s difficult for family members to watch them decline. At a certain point, assisted living might be the best option for you or your loved one.

You may have considered assisted living communities, but when is the right time to move forward? Here are 11 signs it might be time for assisted living. Plus, we added a bonus sign at the end!

Signs It Might be Time for Assisted Living

1. Memory Changes

Memory loss is normal as we age. For example, your loved one might forget why they entered a room or where they put the keys. But certain signs can raise forgetfulness to a new level.

Examples include:

• Confusion about where they are
• Getting lost
• Asking the same question over and over

In these cases, assisted living communities can provide support and care to meet their needs. You can also consider an assisted living community with a memory care facility if needed.

2. Cleaning and Household Chores Have Gone Downhill

Even younger people have trouble keeping up with household maintenance sometimes, and age can make it harder to bend down, carry a laundry basket, or get on a stepstool to change a lightbulb.

Rather than normal chore neglect, look for a clear sign of a lack of household upkeep.

Examples include:

• Consistent dust and dirt around the floors
• Smelly or stained clothing
• Dishes repeatedly piled up in the sink

This sign is even more important if messiness is a change from your loved one’s previous habits. An assisted living community can help, as they provide cleaning services and remove the stress of maintaining an entire household.

3. Assisted Living Facility Transportation Would Help

At a certain point, driving might become dangerous if your loved one has cognitive impairments, slow reflexes, or other issues. You may notice signs of driving troubles from the passenger seat, or it might take your loved one getting a ticket or damaging their vehicle (we hope not).

Assisted living communities provide transportation that can take your loved one from their home to shopping centers and doctors. Using the facility’s transportation service enables your loved one to still have some alone time, a sense of independence, and even a sense of dignity because they can run their own errands—and they can do it without using their own vehicle. 

4. Eating Changes

Pay attention to significant weight loss or changes to eating habits.

Check for signs like:

• A reduced appetite
• Forgetting meals
• Lacking an adequate amount of fluids

While it’s good to ask a doctor about changes to eating habits to see if there’s an underlying physical health problem in your loved one, it’s also possible that these signs would improve through the nutritious meals and check-ins that an assisted living facility provides.

5. Personal Hygiene Concerns

Similar to your loved one failing to keep up with home cleaning and maintenance, they 

may also neglect their personal hygiene.

Notice signs like:

• Body odor
• Dirty hair
• Unclean clothing

Some other signs, such as an unclean home and weight loss, can also indicate that older adults neglect self-care. An assisted living community can support your loved one who self-neglects through regular meals, check-ups, and more.

6. Spending Too Much Time Alone

It’s not bad to spend or enjoy time alone. However, it can become problematic if your loved one isolates too much. Many older adults make time for family and friends, join social groups, and head to daily activities at the senior center. However, others may live alone and be cut off from social ties for the most part.

It’s hard for some people to maintain a social life when they no longer have connections in the workplace and may have lost their spouse, who kept up social connections. Some people are better at being social than others, and some have decreased abilities that keep them from participating.

Whatever the reason, isolation can contribute to poor health outcomes. Also, it’s often connected to other signs like poor hygiene and living conditions. If you notice isolation in your loved one, consider that assisted living communities bring people together for daily activities like meals and offer scheduled social interaction.

7. Declining Medical Conditions

It’s common for aging adults to have chronic health conditions like high blood pressure. While it is possible to manage health conditions from home, look for signs that your senior loved one’s physical health is declining and chronic conditions are worsening. For instance, your loved one may have had multiple hospitalizations.

These signs could indicate that your loved one is having difficulty managing the condition. Assisted living professionals could properly care for them and provide services like medication management and disease control. This can help with improved health and overall, well-being.

8. Trouble Keeping Up with Daily Tasks

Part of an older adult’s failure to manage a health condition could be forgetting or neglecting to take medication. This sign can be included with failing to manage daily tasks.

In addition to skipping important medication, your loved one might neglect other responsibilities.

Examples include:

• Not paying bills
• Neglecting pets
• Skipping doctor’s appointments

These are signs of a need for extra support. Assisted living facilities can help individuals with these tasks by providing assistance with check-ins, transportation, medication management, and some medical care, including memory care if needed.

9. Family Members Don’t Give Enough Help

Family members can be a great support for aging parents, but it’s not always enough. After all, family members have other responsibilities like work and children to take care of. Many families may not have the time, ability, or energy to care for an aging adult.

Even if they can help, there may be gaps when no one is available, and a family member is generally not the same as a trained professional in senior care. Keep this in mind for yourself as an adult child, as you may not be able to fully care for your loved one, or you may have caregiver stress.

While assisted living does not provide around-the-clock care like a nursing home, the staff is available to provide assistance when needed, and many of the residents’ consistent needs, such as meals, are taken care of. Assisted living falls on the spectrum of senior living options between independent living and a nursing home.

10. Safety Concerns

Safety is an important concern regarding your senior loved one, especially if your aging parent is living alone. Keep an eye out for signs that your loved one may not be safe in their own home.

Examples include:

• Falls
• Difficulty using stairs at home
• Wandering
• Driving incidents

Assisted living can provide a secure environment that includes check-ins and various forms of support. It can take away numerous dangerous situations and provide safety features.

For instance, assisted living communities offer transportation to replace your loved one driving independently and provide meals, which removes potential cooking hazards.

11. Poor Mental Health

In addition to physical health, it’s important to consider mental health. You might notice that your loved one has signs of depression or another concern. Or they seem sad or anxious a lot.

It is possible that specialized care of assisted living could help; it provides benefits that can support mental wellness.

Examples include:

• Proper nutrition
• Stimulating activities
• A supportive environment
• Social connections

In addition, the trained professionals working at an assisted living facility can check on your parent’s mental health regularly and ensure your loved one is taking their medication if any is needed.

11 1/2. Your Loved One Likes the Sound of Assisted Living Communities

Our bonus sign is that your loved one may actually want to live in an assisted living community or are at least ready to check some out. This is great news, as it can often be challenging to convince someone to give up their familiar surroundings and move to a senior care facility — sometimes, it’s the hardest battle of all.

How CarePatrol Helps You Find Assisted Living 

Your loved one might recognize that they could use some extra help and may like the idea of being more connected to others. Once you have them on board, it will be much easier to check out assisted living facilities and find the right one.

CarePatrol has locations across the nation with local senior care advisors ready to help you with your senior care needs. Finding the right assisted living facility is often time consuming. Our local senior care advisors know the communities inside and out and can direct you to the one that best suits your needs. 

The best part? It’s no cost to aging adults or their families. To get started, find a CarePatrol Local Senior Care Advisor near you and give us call, or request more information online.