The goal of Oceanside assisted living facilities is to allow as much independence as possible while assisting whenever needed.
The following services are usually provided by most assisted living facilities:
- housing
- health-related services
- meals
- social activities
- personal care and support
Why leave independent living for assisted living?
Assisted living facilities are excellent for when you need some extra help with daily activities but don’t require a nursing home.
As the needs of society change over time, so too will the costs and scope of services available. For now, if you want to plan for the future, it’s a good idea to find a facility that’s associated with memory care and nursing.
Every assisted living residence is different depending on size, type of services, cost, and even appearances.
What services do assisted living facilities provide?
When it comes to services, some facilities only provide meals, grooming, simple housekeeping, dressing, assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), and bathing.
Other facilities do more such as cover for transportation and specific health services.
Building layouts range from single homes to high-rise apartments. The living areas can vary as well – they could be single rooms or full apartments with small kitchens. Meals are usually served in common dining areas, however.
If you think assisted living will work for your loved one, then here’s how you can start your research.
When to make the move?
The idea of becoming more limited in what we can do isn’t a thrilling prospect – especially when we think about how it can affect our health.
Many people will also stubbornly cling to their current situation, even if it’s a bad one. After all, it can difficult for many of us older folks to change.
However, that doesn’t mean that change is a bad thing. Sometimes it can be the best thing for everyone involved.
Assisted living is a complicated subject, and much thought needs to be put into it.
Assisted living may be for you if:
- you have difficulties with managing domestic finances
- you suffer from loneliness and isolation
- you have difficulties with medical conditions or frailty
- you have trouble keeping the house clean and managing other duties
The saddest and common scenario is in losing a spouse. All of the work and the burdens, both physical and emotional all fall on you. In this case, assisted living may be the right path for you.
Another common scenario is getting hit with several severe medical conditions at once. These often include Parkinson’s, osteoarthritis, and macular degeneration. These diseases will get worse, and the requirement for care will increase day by day.
A third situation that’s become so common that facilities are being made to care for people with this condition alone is Alzheimer’s. Assisted living is especially important for these folks, as when the memory deteriorates, it can put the person in dangerous situations. One example common is wandering around and hurting oneself.
Being a caregiver as a spouse is also extremely difficult, and can make the quality of life for the caregiver considerably worse. It’s therefore not uncommon for the spouse to help their partner transition into assisted living.
How to transition
It can be particularly challenging to transition especially for older adults with cognitive problems.
After all, not only is it difficult to change one’s lifestyle, environment, and habits all at once but frequently, the loss of a spouse is added on top of that.
Finally, having to get to know a bunch of strangers as well can put someone over the edge.
If it’s not the loss of a spouse, then feelings of guilt might appear instead. This guilt is because of the resident feeling like a burden. Or the caregiver might feel guilty also for relinquishing responsibility.
Sometimes the caregiver lets go too fast, on impulse, or because of an unforeseen emergency. This situation can happen if the family panics and puts the family member in assisted living when they don’t know how to care for the condition.
Alternatively, perhaps the patient is not fit to go home because it wouldn’t be safe for them.
Other situations also happen with older parents and adult kids who don’t know what to do for their aging parents.
Moreover, when all of this is going on, you can’t make the most critical decisions, such as finding the right assisted care facility.
Talking about when to move on from independent living
It’s not an easy thing to talk about, but there are some tips to help. First, talk about it early, often, and in small pieces. Once a week or over months if necessary.
Here are some tips for these talks:
- It doesn’t have to all be done at once. Have several smaller conversations leading up to the “big” talk
- Endeavor to do these talks in person so that you can really feel what your loved one is trying to tell you
- Be empathetic about their struggle but don’t pity them – remember how blessed they are to live to such an old age
- Work with your loved one. Talk to them about what their general difficulties are and try to accommodate them at least for the short term until longer-term plans can be made.
- Ask if they are feeling lonely. The social component of assisted living often comes ahead of the medical part for many seniors.
- Listen attentively to your loved one and ask them open-ended questions that allow them to express how they feel.
Professionals can also help you in making the decision. The senior’s doctor, counselor, financial adviser, and even an attorney can all help in figuring out how to plan and execute the transition. They can also tell you about how other families managed to get through this difficult time.
Oceanside Assisted Living can also help guide you during this difficult time.
The final thing to consider is whether or not to keep your family and friends in the loop. Often an adult child might think that they’re doing the best thing for the senior while going against their wishes, thus creating resentment.
Therefore, it’s best to talk about these things early and often.