The decision to help your parent or loved one move into a senior living community can be a difficult one to make. For many families, the most challenging part of the decision can be figuring out the ideal time to make the transition. Unfortunately, many families overlook the signs that their loved one is an ideal candidate for senior living, and instead they wait until a significant event like a fall, illness, or injury forces them to act. This only adds additional stress to an already difficult situation.

One way to minimize stress, potentially prevent a crisis, and ensure your loved one’s smooth transition into a senior living community is to be aware of these telltale signs that your loved one is struggling to maintain their independence at home and would have a substantially higher quality of life in an Independent Living or Assisted Living community.

• Their home is cluttered, disorganized, and/or unclean. As seniors age, household chores like taking out the trash, mopping the floor, and scrubbing the bathtub can be quite challenging. As such, many seniors delay completing those tasks, or stop doing them altogether, leading to a home that is messy at best, or worse, unsanitary and unhealthy. Other seniors spend nearly all of their free time focused on daily chores simply because it takes so long to complete basic household tasks (usually as the result of mobility issues or chronic pain). Most senior living communities include weekly or bi-weekly housekeeping, allowing your loved one to spend their free time with friends instead of taking care of their home.

• They cook less and eat more microwave meals. Seniors may lose the energy or desire to prepare fresh foods at home. Some are physically unable to stand long enough to cook a meal. Perhaps their spouse was the home chef and has passed away. Regardless of the reason, many seniors often turn to convenience foods like frozen foods, cereal, soup, and sandwiches as main staples in their diet. This can lead to health issues because they are missing out on vital nutrients that fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean protein provide. Most senior living communities provide healthy, freshly prepared meals on a daily basis, which can improve your loved one’s health and vigor. Today’s senior living communities take great pride in their dining program, making a point to ensure that residents have a restaurant-like experience complete with several tasty options and attentive service.

• They can no longer safely manage stairs. Seniors with mobility issues often are unable to safely go up and down the stairs in their home. For safety’s sake, some seniors may start living on the main level of their home, creating a makeshift bedroom in what would otherwise be their living room, causing clutter and chaos. Others will continue to go to the laundry room in the basement, despite safety concerns and family protests, which can be very worrisome for their loved ones, and outright dangerous for the senior. Senior living communities are designed with resident safety and ease in mind and won’t have any pesky stairs to navigate. Elevators are used to get from floor to floor.

• You notice expired foods and medications. Whether you chalk it up to your loved one’s forgetfulness, a dislike of shopping on a regular basis, or simple oversight on their part, eating spoiled food or taking expired medication can cause health issues for seniors. If you notice expired foods or medications in your loved one’s home, it is very likely your loved one would benefit from the daily supervision a senior living community can provide.

• You notice unopened mail or disconnection notices. One of the first signs of dementia is the mismanagement of finances. Even minor, age-related short-term memory loss can result in bills being overlooked or paid twice in the same month. If you notice your loved one struggling to manage their finances or dealing with the embarrassment of disconnected utilities, the simplicity of having most monthly expenses on one convenient senior living bill may be an easy solution.

• They no longer drive. Cars are a source of independence for most of us, including seniors. When a senior has to give up the keys, it can be extremely difficult as they don’t only lose their sense of independence, but sometimes feel like a “burden” to others who now have to help with grocery shopping and getting them to appointments. Additionally, many seniors become socially isolated, spending nearly all of their time alone at home waiting on their family to provide their only source of social stimulation. Sadly, it’s not uncommon for homebound seniors to go two to three days without speaking to another person—sometimes longer. This can leave seniors feeling frustrated, depressed, and bored. Likewise, family members often become task-driven caregivers instead of the cheerful visitors they used to be when spending time with their parent or loved one. Many seniors regain a sense of independence by moving into a senior living community where transportation to the grocery store, medical appointments, and fun group outings is just one of the many included services. Seniors also benefit from the daily opportunities to socialize with their peers.

• They are not remembering to take their medication. Perhaps you’ve noticed a few pills left behind in your loved one’s medi-planner, that their prescription is overdue for a refill, or that they have run out of their monthly medication much sooner than expected. Regardless of whether your loved one is taking too much or too little of their medication, it is reason for concern. Medication errors can result in significant health issues in your loved one—some of which may be life-threatening or require hospitalization. Gain peace of mind knowing your loved one will never miss another dose of medication when living in a senior living community. The Assisted Living nursing team is there to ensure that medications are ordered from the pharmacy timely each month and that all medications are administered to each resident in accordance with their doctor’s orders. As a bonus, the day-to-day interaction with the nursing staff allows them to observe subtle changes in a resident’s health in their earliest stages, often leading to faster diagnoses, quicker treatments, and improved overall health.

• They spend much of their day in bed or in front of the television. Oftentimes a change in circumstances, like the loss of a spouse, a new health condition, or the loss of driving privileges can negatively affect seniors and they lose their zest for life. It can become all too easy for them to sleep away their day or spend much of their time in front of the television for lack of something better to do. The lifestyle offered in Independent and Assisted Living communities encourages movement (walking to the mailbox, dining room, activities, etc.), as well peer-to-peer engagement—something seniors may be lacking at home. Most senior living communities include several daily activities, programs, and outings from which to choose, allowing residents to get back to their favorite hobbies, take up a new interest, or spend time enjoying an outing with friends.

• Your loved one is frustrated with yard work and home maintenance projects. Some active seniors enjoy spending time working on their yard and are avid gardeners. Others feel a sense of accomplishment when completing small home improvement projects. But for many seniors, their home can start to feel “too large to manage”—especially after their own children have left home, the grandchildren are no longer young, or following the death of a spouse. Many seniors will reach a point when they complain about having too much house to clean, too many repairs to keep up with, or yard work they can no longer manage safely. If your loved one wants the flexibility and freedom of living at home without the hassles and headaches of home ownership, an Independent Living apartment can be the ideal solution. In Independent Living, seniors still decide how their time is spent each day, coming and going as they please. However, they no longer have to worry about housekeeping, yard work, or maintenance. This can be a welcome relief for many active seniors who’d prefer to spend their time relaxing, visiting with family, or socializing with their friends.

• Your loved one has a chronic health issue or pain. For seniors diagnosed with a serious illness or chronic health condition, there will likely come a time when they require daily support in the form of medication administration, bathing assistance, or help with their transfers and mobility. In the not-too-distant past, this might have meant a move to the dreaded “old folks’ home.”  Thankfully, today’s Assisted Living communities are vibrant and warm, complete with great living spaces that allow seniors to bring their own furnishings from home. This means your loved one can have all the assistance they need to live their best life in an environment that feels much more like home than a hospital room. Likewise, you’ll have peace of mind knowing your loved one will have access to around-the-clock help as needed. 

It’s perfectly normal for seniors to have good days and not-so-good days, just like we all do. However, if you routinely notice one to three of these signs, it is the ideal time to start learning more about senior living options for your loved one. If you notice four or more signs on a consistent basis, you are encouraged to seriously explore options and begin working with a senior living counselor at your community of choice to learn the best ways to help your loved one transition into a senior living community. Keep in mind—regardless of how many signs your loved one is exhibiting—that it is the right time to explore senior living options. It’s never too early to start learning more about how Independent Living or Assisted Living communities can benefit your entire family.