Questions to Ask Yourself when Home for the Holidays
Traveling home for the holidays? Keep an eye out for these red flags. If you are starting to be concerned about your senior parents health or well-being it may be time to have the talk about Assisted Living Facility options.
We put together a list of questions to ask yourself while you are visiting their home to decide if it is time to start this process.
Important Questions:
Have they recently fallen?
If so, do they have a medical alert system and how often is someone coming over to check on them? Are they falling more frequently? It could be dangerous for them to live alone.
How long is their average recovery time?
If they are taking longer and longer to recover from colds or falls it could show that they have a weakening immune system. They might need some additional medical support.
Can they manage their medications?
There could be a few reasons why they start missing medications or simply stop taking them. It could be a financial problem or maybe they simply forgot. This could cause their chronic health problems to worsen. At Assisted Living Facilities they offer assistance with medications for seniors.
Are they having any issues with activities of daily living or ADLs? This includes items such as cooking, laundry, bathing, getting dressed, and more.
Nutrition: Are they mainly eating frozen or takeout meals?
Have they gained weight or lost a significant amount of weight? If so, they may need assistance with meal planning and prepping a diet specifically for seniors.
Are they having trouble with mobility?
If there are stairs in the house, are they able to easily get up and down them? Do they need a walker and is there a clear path throughout the house to navigate with a mobility aid?
Have they had any fender benders?
If they have been in an accident or a few minor accidents it can indicate that they are having trouble getting around on their own and may need to change their transportation methods or get support from a facility like an Assisted Living Facility.
Home Repairs?
Is their home causing them to put in a lot of physical labor to keep it functioning. How often are they mowing their yard, are their appliances working etc.? Maybe they need to hire some help or move to a place where they don’t have to manage yard work, laundry, cleaning, etc.
How are the pets?
Are they being fed regularly and taken care of? If not, it might be a sign of immobility or cognitive problems. Assisted Living Facilities like Alba Court will typically accept small pets to join them in their new home especially if they are a support animal.
Do they have signs of Dementia?
These could include: wandering, getting lost, unusually angry or violent when upset, isolation, piles of unopened mail, happiness level, and memory loss. If so, it might be time for additional support in Memory Care.
Are they depressed or lonely?
It is important for them to have a support system and a group of friends to socialize with. If they seem to have distanced themselves and/or have lost their friend group it might be good to be in an Assisted Living Facility to be around others their age and have a wide variety of daily activities to keep busy and improve their mental health.
Does the caregiver have any concerns?
If it is a loved one, are they able to continue to provide adequate care. No matter how willing they are, there becomes a time when it becomes too much for one person to manage and the emotional toll it could take on a family member who is acting as a caregiver might not be worth it. They might have a better relationship with the loved one when they can regularly visit them in an Assisted Living Facility so they can focus on enjoying the time together instead of medication lists, bills, groceries and more.
All in all, if you have questions while you are home for the holidays give our Director of Marketing & Admissions, Beverly Robinson a call at 386-847-3022. We are here to help you through this tough time and find a perfect and affordable option to fit your needs. In addition to Assisted Living, we also offer an Adult Day Care and Respite Care.