Is it Time for a Nursing Home?

Making the decision to place a loved one in a nursing home is never easy. Often a combination of factors contribute to the decision. How will you know when it’s time to approach them about transitioning from independent living into a center that can address their ongoing care needs? Here’s what to look out for:

Signs of Diminished Mental and Physical Capacity

Confusion

• Unable to remember to take medications correctly.
• Wandering – a risk associated with many conditions, such as dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, head injuries, and Parkinson’s disease.
• Forgetting meals or inability to make meals. This may result in noticeable weight loss.

Deteriorating Physical Condition

• Poor balance leading to frequent falls at home
• Needing more physical help than the family can provide. Such as inability to move from one surface to another. Needing assistance with toileting or continence management.

Caregiver burnout is another reason that it may be time to consider a nursing home. Most families want to keep their loved one at home as long as possible. But as time progresses, the responsibility of providing care can lead the caregiver to physical and emotional exhaustion.

Does Your Loved One Need Constant Care?

While some families may be able to provide around the clock care, others families might have obligations that do not allow them to be full-time caregivers. While there are community resources to help keep seniors in their homes, frequently care needs to be piecemeal, split between family, and outside agencies such as home companion services, home health, or hospice. This can be time consuming, expensive, and stressful to manage. Nursing homes can give families peace of mind to know that all needs of their loved one can be met.