Signs that Your Loved One May Benefit from an Assisted Living Residence

By Marta Sturm, Director of Marketing, The Estates at Woodbridge
The truth is that no one really wants to leave a longtime home and make a drastic change in their lifestyle. So much time, energy and love goes into making one’s house a home. As you would expect, a lifetime in one’s home can make the transition to an assisted living residence very difficult. Even if it is in your loved one’s best interest, it is an emotional and complex decision not only for the parent, but for the adult children as well. Often, the adult children end up feeling as if they are going against their loved one’s wishes, but the reality is that the right decision is sometimes the hardest one to make.
One of the first signs that your loved one may need to move into an assisted living residence is when you realize they have made their world much smaller. Suddenly, they may not be using all of the space in their longtime home. You may notice they are only using a single bedroom, bathroom and kitchen, or just a den and bathroom. This may indicate their limited mobility to get around the house. Additional signs can include more frequent calls to family members, finding that there is not much food in the refrigerator or finding expired or spoiled food. You may even notice that they are not taking care of their personal hygiene in the way they have in the past. These are all signs that your loved one may benefit from an assisted living residence. The advantages are many: meals prepared for them, smaller apartments to maximize mobility, and resident care aides to assist with bathing, dressing and medication management, if needed.
If you notice any of these signs with your loved one, it may be time to start talking about making a change and exploring assisted living options. Your parents always took great care of you and reached out to offer a helping hand when you were in need; now it’s your turn to do the same for them. For advice on how to start the conversation with your loved one, please call (978) 854-1812.