As a busy resident of Colorado, you have plenty on your plate. Between your work, your home life, your family life, and more, balancing everything and taking care of an elderly relative can be draining. This is especially true if you notice that your loved one is becoming more of a handful than you can manage.
The question, then, is relatively simple. When is it time to discuss the possibility of assisted living? CBS News highlights the signs you should look for to determine if it’s time to look into assisted living facilities. According to them, there are three primary signs that generally precede admission into a nursing home or assisted living facility. This includes:
- Severe or consistent insomnia
- Dementia or other severe memory problems
- Being unable to control one’s bowel movements or bladder
Naturally, illness, injury and the general well-being of your loved one should also be taken into consideration. There are some instances in which they may fall and hurt themselves in a way that makes it difficult to walk, or they may sustain an injury or contract an illness that requires 24-hour care and surveillance. No matter how much you love the person in need of this intensive care, you may not be able to provide it, either through a lack of funds or a lack of time.
On a whole, the person who decides the “right time” for admission into a facility is not the person you’re caring for. It’s you, the caregiver, who has to make that decision. Though it can be an incredibly tough decision to make, it may simply be the only option that provides the level of care your loved one needs.