When you’ve shared a lifetime with a loved one, making the decision that they should be in a retirement facility can be a challenge. After all, you’ve woken up together each day, had dinner together each night, and much more. However, there comes a time when you age with a loved one by your side that your ability to take care of them may not be enough. But how do you know when it’s time to get help? Here’s a closer look at some factors to consider.
When their Physical Health Declines Rapidly
Certain conditions can cause a physical health decline to happen suddenly and rapidly. As a result, your once hardy loved one suddenly requires around the clock care. These needs may be simple day to day responsibilities such as dressing, bathing, using the bathroom, eating, and other acts of regular life. Or they may be related to advanced medical care, such as administering medicines, monitoring vital signs, or providing emergency care. When the demands of the day to day care exceed what you can provide, it’s time to consider whether retirement living is the right step.
When their Mental Health Declines Rapidly
A different kind of decline that often happens as we age is a mental decline. Loss of mental faculties can be obvious through a wide variety of scenarios. For example, your spouse may forget important things such as turning on the stove and subsequently causing a fire risk. In other cases, spouses wander out of the house and become lost, even in dire situations of extreme weather. In cases of advanced dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, mental decline can be so serious that the consequences put you and your loved one’s safety at risk. Transferring your loved one to a retirement facility ensures that they receive regular monitoring and care, with their comfort and safety always in mind, can be one of the most compassionate options available when you’re struggling with mental decline.
When they are becoming more Accident Prone
One of the most challenging aspects of aging can be the impairment to your brain’s ability to balance. As a result, the elderly person is at risk of falling and accidents. The downside of this quickly becomes apparent. Your spouse or partner could injure themselves and need emergency care when you’re not at home. A fall can cause serious bodily damage that hastens the decline of other aging associated conditions. So when falls and physical safety become a concern, it’s important to seriously evaluate whether it’s time to move your loved one to a retirement facility.
Is Good Local Care Available?
If your spouse needs to enter a retirement facility, of course you want a local option that makes it easy for you to spend plenty of time there and visit often. Or perhaps you’re looking for an option that allows both of you to relocate together. Many options are available. One of the easiest ways to find a good local facility is to conduct a basic Google search such as “retirement living in Wilmington” to learn more about options in your area.
If you’re facing concerns that your loved one may need extra help due to health, mental, or safety concerns, it’s time to look into a retirement facility. Contact one in your area today to learn more about the options available to your family.