Making the decision to put an elderly parent or loved one into an assisted living community is not one that should be taken lightly, but that doesn’t mean that it is not the right choice for you and your family.
If you have an elderly parent or relative who is starting to struggle to perform their day to day essential living tasks, then it may be time for them to make the transition to an assisted living community.
If you are still unsure about whether this is the right move for your loved one, keep reading. To find out more about this type of community, plus, what aspects you should look into when deciding upon the right assisted living accommodation for your elderly parent you can also contact a company like Assured dementia care homes.
What is an assisted living community?
Although it will vary from community to community, as a general rule of thumb, assisted living is a type of housing that also provides care, but with the ability for your loved one to still be able to retain some of their independence.
Residents who choose to live in an assisted living community are able to receive care or help for an array of tasks, including medical care, as well as help with daily chores, such as cooking and cleaning.
Finding assisted living facilities should not be an issue if you do decide that this is the right move for your elderly parent, as there are currently over 28,000 communities in the U.S that house over one million people.
How do you know if your elderly relative is ready to move to assisted living?
It is not uncommon for an elderly parent or relative to insist that they do not need help, as they may be worried about losing their independence, as well as moving out of their own home.
That being said, there are signs that indicate that an elderly person is ready for the transition into assisted living, and these include:
- Forgetting to eat or not eating enough
- Forgetting to pay bills
- Not going to their doctor’s appointments or forgetting to take their medication
- Decreased mobility
- Showing signs of memory loss
- Becoming withdrawn and not willing to leave the home
- Not taking care of themselves
- If they are suffering from a chronic health condition
- Incontinence
Incontinence is indeed a sensitive issue among older adults. That’s why incontinence products, such as adult diapers, are designed not only to provide protection but to be discreet as well. Whether they are living in a facility or at home, older adults will be able to move with more confidence.
How can you pay for assisted living?
There are several resources that you can look into in order to provide your loved one with the best possible care when they need it most.
- Share the cost within your family
If possible, the easiest and most straightforward way to pay for senior care is by pooling your resources with other family members. Of course, this is not an option for everyone, but if you do have sufficient savings, you will be able to place your loved one into assisted living immediately.
- Use their life insurance policy
Another great option if it is available to your elderly relative, it is fairly simple for them to sell their policy and use the settlement figure to pay for the new living arrangements.
- Long-term care insurance
If your relative has long-term care insurance, then this should cover the total cost of their senior care living needs.
- Reverse their mortgage or sell their home
Both of these methods involving using the value of your parent’s own home, if they have one, to pay for the cost of their care. With a reverse mortgage, your parent or relative will release equity in their property to pay for their care, which they will then have to pay back when they sell their home. Alternatively, they could sell their home and move straight into assisted living using the money from the sale.
It is unlikely that there will ever be a time when you actively want to transition your elderly parent or loved one into senior care, but that does not mean that they would not benefit from making this move. Try and remember you are doing what is best for them, even though it may not feel like it at the time.