How Do I Know It’s Time for Assisted Living for My Loved One?
Aug 24, 2020 by Danielle Andersen
“True life is lived when tiny changes occur.” – Leo Tolstoy
Embracing change is never easy, and it can oftentimes make you feel uncomfortable and even emotional. That’s why the thought of senior living for your loved one can seem overwhelming. You don’t want to accept that your loved one’s behavior has changed, or that they may no longer be able to live independently. You’ve always seen your loved one as a strong force in your life and you’re not used to the idea that they may now need assistance with daily activities. However, embracing change allows you and your loved one to improve the quality of your lives and uncover new opportunities.
Assisted living could be that positive change that you didn’t know your loved one needed. By opening up to the idea of assisted living, you could help your loved one begin the next positive chapter of their life.
What is Assisted Living?
Assisted living is a senior living option that provides your loved one with a combination of housing, personal care services and health care services. Assisted living communities, like the ones at Knute Nelson, are designed to help seniors that require assistance with normal daily activities, while helping them maintain as much independence as possible.
Assisted living communities help to minimize the need for your loved one to relocate as they age and as their needs change by providing services like 24-hour supervision and assistance with health-related services. When your loved one joins an assisted living community, they will have the opportunity to receive the care they need while maintaining their independence and dignity in a safe environment.
4 Signs It’s Time for Assisted Living
If you notice that your loved one is experiencing one or more of the following behaviors, it might be an indication that it’s time to consider assisted living for your loved one:
- Poor Personal Hygiene. Is there a change in the way your loved one takes care of themselves? Have you noticed that they have stopped bathing regularly or have a new body odor? This could be a sign that your loved one is having a hard time bathing, which could put them at risk for infection and emotional decline. They might benefit from living in an assisted living community that assists with bathing and grooming.
- Difficulty Moving Around. Are you noticing that your loved one is having difficulty moving around their home? Perhaps they can no longer get up and down the stairs on their own. This may be a sign that moving into a safer environment, like an assisted living community, could be beneficial to your loved one.
- Not Eating a Healthy Diet. Pay attention to the meals your loved one is consuming and their overall state of well-being. Has their weight changed significantly in a short period of time? Rapid weight loss or gain can indicate that your loved one is struggling with preparing food. They may benefit from joining an assisted living community, where they are provided three healthy meals a day. Proper nutrition and hydration have proven to be the missing ingredient for some seniors, as proven by the results of their health improvements after moving into an assisted living community.
- Cluttered, Unkept Living Environment. If you start to notice that your loved one’s behavior towards cleaning has changed and that they’re no longer doing things like keeping up with the dishes or cleaning their bathroom, it might be a sign that they can no longer keep up with housework. When they join an assisted living community, the stress of housework is eliminated and your loved one will enjoy a sanitary living space.
- Issues Taking Medication. Have you noticed that your loved one is having trouble administering their own medications? Are they forgetting to take their medications or maybe taking the wrong amount? This could be a sign that they might benefit from moving into an assisted living community where they could receive help to ensure they are taking their medications correctly.
- Social Isolation. If you notice your loved one has started to isolate themselves, this could be a sign that they might be concerned of exposing their declining health or cognitive status. Moving into a community that allows for social activity right outside their door can be something that brings some of their old self back and allows them to live a healthier lifestyle.
Experience Compassionate Assisted Living at Knute Nelson
At Knute Nelson, we understand that moving into an assisted living community is a big transition and can be a bit intimidating at first. That’s why our dedicated team members in our assisted living community are here to make the transition as easy as possible for your loved one.
Our assisted living community is here to provide the help your loved one needs with everyday tasks like housekeeping, meal prep and medication management to help them live the most independent lifestyle possible.
When your loved one joins our assisted living community, you’ll experience relief knowing that they’re well cared for every single day. Here are just some of the amenities we provide every resident in our community:
- Nutritious meals served three times a day
- Each resident receives a personal emergency-call-system pendant
- Nurses coordinate care with you or your loved one’s primary physician
- Transportation to and from doctor’s appointments
- Staff are on site 24 hours a day
- Diverse schedule of activities for residents to remain active and social
At Knute Nelson, we have three different assisted living communities to choose from:
If you think it might be time to consider assisted living for your loved one, please contact us today to learn more about all of the services, amenities and benefits your loved one can enjoy when they choose to join our assisted living community.
