Unfortunately, in our society, people often don’t want to address the challenges of aging until they absolutely have to. This is not the best approach. The best advice is to be proactive, not reactive. It’s a good idea to take the time and make an effort to become educated about the available senior care options, preferably well before they actually need them. A CSA, certified senior advisor, can help you navigate the system, which can be complicated and overwhelming.
So how do you know when it’s time to actually do something? If you live near Mom and Dad, it’s much easier to know than if you live at a distance and only see them occasionally for a short period of time. Aging seniors tend to wear their pride on their sleeves and often cover up their frailties during a visit. Sometimes they are in total denial about their challenges. Be aware and alert when you talk to them or visit.
Here are some signs that it’s time to consider bringing in-home health care or looking at senior living communities:
• Isolation: Isolation causes loneliness and leads to depression, in many cases. Studies have shown that socialization and mental stimulation are essential to healthy aging. Moving to a senior living community is usually the best solution. This enables them to make friends, socialize during meals, participate in activities with little effort, and meet new neighbors in the community.
• Loss of driver’s license: We all probably wait too long to address this with aging parents. It is one of the most difficult subjects to approach—even when we know our loved one is endangering not only him or herself but also the other drivers on the road. It is much easier to ask them to stop driving if you can offer a viable solution –a caregiver who can drive them or moving to a senior living community that provides transportation.
• Frequent falls: Is your loved one “furniture walking”? This is holding onto the furniture as they walk? Furniture walking is a gateway to falls, with falls continuing to be the number one cause of injury and death for individuals 65 and older. If your loved one is having balance issues and refuses to use a walker or cane, you need to know they are an accident waiting to happen. When an older person falls, it can be the beginning of a decline in physical and/or mental health status. It is imperative to obtain assistance in the home or move them to a senior living community before that really bad fall happens. It’s definitely time to do something if they’ve been calling 911 due to falling!
• Drastic weight loss: Sometimes an elderly person isn’t eating enough because they can no longer shop or prepare meals adequately.
• Medication Management: Inconsistency or lack of compliance in taking medications.
• Increased forgetfulness or confusion: This is when it is critical to have a caregiver looking out for your loved one, either in the home or at a senior living community.
• Caregiver: You are spending a significant amount of your time caring for your loved one. Maybe you’re going to their home to help them to the toilet, take a bath, or dress.
It’s stressful to have to give up so much of your own time, and it puts your loved ones in a situation that is often uncomfortable since now the parent/child roles are reversing. It would be healthier to have a hired caregiver, either in the home or at a senior living community performing these duties. This will allow you to resume your role as the child or other caring relative. You don’t have to go it alone. There are plenty of local resources, including a network of Certified Senior Advisors (CSAs) such as Sandy Moffett, Certified Senior Living Advisor of Lower SW Florida, who is here to help with no charge to seniors or their families.
Sandy Moffett, Certified Senior Living Advisor
(239) 218-7739
www.OasisSeniorAdvisors.com
Lower-SW-Florida
3739 Milano Lakes Circle #408
Naples, FL 34114