Making the transition to senior assisted living can be challenging, especially if your loved one refuses to acknowledge that they need help. However, when the warning signs are getting too obvious to ignore, moving to a senior living community can significantly improve your loved one’s quality of life. In this guide, we share more with you about how to begin the process of transitioning to senior living.

Assisted Living Help

Does your loved one need more help than you are able to provide? Is paying for in-home care starting to prove too heavy on the pocket? Below are some signs that assisted living is a good choice for you or your loved one:

• Do you feel safe leaving your loved one alone at home for a period of time, however short? If you are worried they may fall without anyone around to render immediate assistance, assisted living may be on the cards.
• Are you helping your loved one with many tasks of daily living, to the point where it’s taking up a considerable amount of your time and energy?
• Is caregiving interfering with other aspects of your life, such as work commitments?

If you answered yes to at least one of the questions above, it’s time for assisted living help. Despite your best intentions, it can often be the case that family members get stretched too thin when juggling work, family, and caregiving.

Signs of Caregiver Stress

You may have started out by helping your loved one with a few tasks each day, such as personal care and dining assistance. However, as their needs change and their dependence on you increases, you may find that a significant portion of your day is dedicated to caregiving duties to the detriment of work and other priorities. On top of that, you may find that you do not have the necessary training and education to handle some of the tasks your loved one needs help with.

When you are experiencing signs of caregiver stress, you may be considering the care options available to you. There’s no guilt in making a decision that will improve your loved one’s quality of life while freeing up valuable mental space for you to focus on other aspects of your life. This will make you a better child, grandchild, niece/nephew, or sibling in the long run.

Conversation

It’s one thing identifying that your loved one can benefit from moving into senior living. It’s yet another to have the conversation with them. Having an open and honest conversation is always the first step. If your loved one seems dead set against the move, find out why. Maybe they are worried that family will get together without them, or that they are leaving a neighbor whom they have bonded with.

Once you know the reasons, set their mind at ease by pointing out the benefits they can reap from the move, such as greater independence, increased opportunities for socialization, and more. On top of that, reassure them that you will remain as supportive as you have always been.