There come many times in our lives when we consider moving house. It could be the first time we move out from our parents home or when we have children and move into a larger home.
But for many of us, we’ll also need to consider for ourselves or loved ones, when the right time is to move into an assisted living community. What are some of the things we need to consider before making this sizeable change?
Table of Contents
What is Assisted Living?
Assisted living as defined by WebMD is “A type of housing designed for people who need various levels of medical and personal care. Living spaces can be individual rooms, apartments, or shared quarters. The facilities generally provide a home-like setting and are physically designed to promote the resident’s independence. Services are offered to assist residents with daily living.”
3 Big Questions to Ask Before Making a Decision to Move
Is there a desire to age-in-place?
Aging in place is often the greatest desire, so it is a question that should be considered first. In determining the need of living arrangements, the answer to this question will help you shape the solution.
Understanding this answer will help you in three ways:
- Preparing for a move once it’s been determined there is little to no desire to age-in-place. There are numerous safe and lovely communities across the country and determining which one best suits the needs of the individual will be your next choice.
- Determining if there are solutions that will allow the individual to remain in the home, such as home health care.
- Working with the individual who desires to age-in-place, but for other reasons is not able to. This can be a challenging time, but if the individual wants to remain at home, but has needs beyond what the home currently offers, then next steps might be determining if home care is an option.
Are there medical conditions or living concerns that need continuous care?
This can assist greatly in determining if a move is required or not. If there are ongoing medical conditions that require constant supervision or monitoring, then it may be time to consider making a move.
Some conditions that could precipitate concern:
- Fall risk
- Medication management
- Limited self-care abilities (eating properly, shopping, bathing, caring for the home, etc.)
- Alzheimer’s, Dementia or Parkinson’s present
In a number of these living situations, making a move to an assisted living facility is not the only option. For example, if the individual is no longer maintaining the home in the way it needs, perhaps regular cleaning professionals can be brought in.
Could home health care be a better option?
In our previous post 7 Real Benefits of Home Care, we outlined the benefits of having home health care. Home health care professionals ae able to assist with activities of daily living and support the individual in their day-to-day activities, including transportation to and from appointments, shopping and light housekeeping.
Bringing in a Home Health Aide or CNA not only allows the individual to age-in-place, but provides companionship, medication reminders, familiarity of staying in the home, a safe environment and so much more.
Once medical needs have been considered, home health care is often a viable option for the person who wishes to remain in their home.
Wrap Up
We want the best for our loved ones and before considering a move to an assisted living facility, consider the possibility and benefits of bring a home health care professional into the home, to make life a little better.
~ ~ ~
Do you have questions about how you can better support your loved one while they age in place in South Florida or regarding homecare in general? Please contact CareGivers of America here: Contact or call us toll free: 800-342-4197
*No information in this article is to be taken as advice, medical or otherwise. This post is not sponsored, but may contain external links to websites, articles or product examples. External links are used for example or refence purposes only and these links do not indicate specific product or website endorsement by CareGivers of America.