When Is the Best Time to Consider a Move to Senior Housing?

According to the American Health Care Association, almost one million adults in the U.S. live in assisted living communities. Assisted living communities can be beneficial for a wide variety of people, often providing a significant boost to any senior’s quality of life.

But how do you know when it’s the right time for you or a loved one to consider moving into senior housing?

Signs It May Be Time to Consider Senior Living

It’s often the best time to consider an assisted living community when you encounter certain signs. Some of those signs include:

• Needing help with activities of daily living (ADLs)

• Increasing forgetfulness

• A need for socialization opportunities

• A need for care coordination

• Increased difficulty performing household chores

In general, when a person needs more help on a daily basis to comfortably and happily live, it may be time for a move.

Help with Activities of Daily Living

ADLs include mobility and hygiene, such as bathing, brushing teeth, and getting dressed properly. It also includes medication management, which can become increasingly difficult for seniors. Senior living homes offer help with all of these things and more.

Increasing Forgetfulness

Sometimes, it can be more difficult to remember things with age. Forgetting to take medications, change clothes, make doctor appointments, or even eat can become more common. If remembering daily tasks is proving to be a challenge, senior housing can be a helpful solution. 

A Need for Socialization

People of any age can benefit from an increase in socialization opportunities. This includes meeting new friends and being surrounded by others who share similar experiences. 

Senior living communities and homes offer activities designed to cultivate friendships and fun for residents, so if you or your loved one is lonely, bored, or both, a senior home may be the key.

A Need for Coordination of Care

It can easily become overwhelming to keep up with hospital stays, doctor visits, specialist appointments, and routine tests and exams. Between the costs and the transportation, it’s often stressful and confusing. Assisted living communities and senior homes coordinate care for their residents, lifting it all off their shoulders.

Increased Difficulty Performing Household Chores

Many people find it difficult to keep up with household chores, and seniors are no exception. If you find it’s becoming too taxing to tackle chores like vacuuming, laundry, cooking, and other household maintenance, a move to senior housing can be especially beneficial and convenient.

Is It Time to Move?

Senior homes are designed to ease the everyday burdens of residents and clear the way for fulfilling friendships and exciting lives during the golden years. If you find that many things are getting in the way of enjoying those retirement years, it may be a great time to consider moving to senior hsenior housingusing.

Preventing Dangerous Medical Errors

A National Institute of Health survey found patients who were most satisfied with their healthcare were those engaged in self-advocacy. This included a person becoming knowledgeable about their injury and health care needs; and being persistent about speaking up for those needs. The NIH also explains those who felt better about their experience practiced communication skills, were organized, talked to peer mentors and kept a positive attitude. 

Research shows practicing self-advocacy, or when a family member actively advocates on the behalf of a loved one, reduces medical errors in hospital settings, doctors’ offices or at the pharmacy. It is important as the World Health Organization reports “an estimated 10% of patients in high-income countries are harmed while receiving hospital care.” Also, according to a 2021 report in StatPearls, “medical errors result in about 100,000 deaths in hospitals and clinics annually.”  

Most errors are related to diagnoses, prescriptions and use of medicines; and misdiagnoses means delayed treatment and taking the wrong medicines. To ensure the best care you need to be honest with your healthcare provider. This includes providing an account of your symptoms and a list of current prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, herbs, supplements and vitamins you take. Be sure to let them know if you have any drug allergies and provide as complete a medical history as you can including your personal medical record as well as that of your family’s. In addition, let your medical team know if you are a smoker and the amount of alcohol you consume. 

Additionally, remember the time you spend with your doctor is short, so prepare beforehand the things you wish to discuss. The Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute Center for Diagnostic Excellence at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore has a QuestionBuilder app available by AHRQ at Google Play or the Apple store to guide you in questions you should ask. 

Experts also say to remember you and your doctor are a team. Being your own health advocate or that of a loved one means helping them follow the medical advice recommended by the doctor regarding diet, rest, exercise, smoking, alcohol use and taking medications as prescribed.  

For exceptional senior housing, Rio Rancho seniors and their families are encouraged to consider MorningStar. Our beautiful home provides assisted living and memory care with a wide array of amenities, care services, wellness programs and activities. Please contact us or see our website for more information about MorningStar of Rio Rancho.

MorningStar takes tremendous pride in the reputation we have earned for excellence and authenticity since our inception in 2003.  We believe the human capacity to grow, to learn and to contribute is ageless; and we act upon that truth daily, as we care for, inspire, and love the residents under our roof. Contact us to learn more about the finest senior housing Rio Rancho has to offer.

Source: webmd.com/healthy-aging/aging-health-advocate#1

Trusted Memory Care at MorningStar of Rio Rancho

Are you the adult child or spouse of someone who is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia?  At MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care of Rio Rancho we understand the anguish and heartache that families go through seeing their beloved mom, dad, or spouse change before their eyes. 

If the diagnosis is recent, you are most likely wrestling with lots of questions including what will the future bring and who will be there to provide the level of care the person will probably need.  We hear you and want you to know our experienced team is here to help with holistic memory care that focuses on nurturing and supporting the essence of the individual regardless of the extent of the memory loss. 

MorningStar’s memory care revolves around comforting and caring for our most tender residents from the onset of the disease to the most advanced stages. We start with a physical space designed to enhance residents’ quality of life with safe, inviting common areas encouraging independence. Residents stay active with a gentle flow of activities including art, dance, physical exercise, special events, and scheduled outings.

Once a resident joins our MorningStar family, we sit down with them and their family to get to know as much as we can about them including their history, vocation, talents, and preferences. From there we create a daily routine designed to stimulate or calm as a situation requires. Residents are also treated to tempting meals consisting of finger foods and family-style dining for a stress-free, companionable dining experience. 

As dementia care specialists, our approach and philosophy to memory care is encompassed under the expanse of possibilities we call “Lavender Sky.”  All team members, regardless of their position, receive Lavender Sky training, which includes a deeper understanding of the disease and communication techniques to use with memory-impaired residents.  It also includes training in environmental safety and security as well as solutions to challenging behaviors.  For trusted senior housing in Rio Rancho, NM, contact us or visit our website for more information.

MorningStar of Rio Rancho proudly provides the very best in assisted living and memory care with our unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest.” With a foundation built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve, we create a true home for residents amid a beautiful setting. Please contact us to learn more about the finest senior living in Rio Rancho, NM.