| When you have elderly parents or relatives, it may | | | | * Leaving the stove on, frequently misplacing items |
| be a struggle to determine when exactly is the | | | | Medication concerns |
| "best" time to move your loved one into an assisted | | | | * Forgetting to take medications resulting in missed |
| living facility. While there is no perfect time or exact | | | | dosages or over dosages |
| science, it generally is recommended that sooner | | | | * Running out of medications - or not properly |
| rather than later is best. | | | | ordering medications from the pharmacy |
| Waiting for a crisis situation to happen - such as a | | | | * Keeping expired medications |
| senior who falls and has a long-term hospitalization or | | | | Lack of Socialization |
| wanders away from home and can't remember how | | | | * Losing touch with friends and becoming isolated |
| to go back - is not a good idea. The decision you and | | | | * Loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed |
| the senior will have to make will be done under a | | | | such as going to church |
| great deal of stress - with little time to research the | | | | * Showing signs of depression such as crying or |
| best options. Also, the housing that you and the | | | | sleeping a lot |
| senior would have preferred may now no longer be | | | | * Loss of spouse, relatives and long-time friends |
| available. | | | | Fear |
| What are some signs that it is time to seriously | | | | * Becoming increasingly paranoid or fearful of others |
| consider assisted living? | | | | * Afraid to be alone at night |
| Difficulty performing daily activities | | | | * Becoming more dependent on family members |
| * Wearing same clothes multiple days | | | | * Feeling neighborhood is not as safe as it used to be |
| * Bathing less frequently with personal hygiene | | | | Safety concerns |
| suffering | | | | * Stairs, steps and clutter make it more likely to fall |
| * Not bothering to cook for one person, skipping | | | | * No help nearby if fall or emergency occurs |
| meals | | | | * Difficulty getting in and out of tub or on and off of |
| * Laundry and housekeeping are a burden | | | | toilet |
| * Spends time in only a few rooms in the house | | | | If you have noticed some or most of the signs, it is |
| Memory loss | | | | time to consider a safer environment for your loved |
| * Repeating questions or statements, multiple phone | | | | one. |
| calls with the same questions | | | | |