Watching a parent age isn’t something that any child looks forward to. And for the most part, it’s not one single moment that points to parents not being able to live as they once did. It is usually a slow accumulation of small things: missing a pill here, a messy house that used to always be tidy, or a decline in personal hygiene. And on their own, none of these signs point to anything sinister, but when you put them together and start looking at the patterns, you slowly start to see the bigger picture that maybe your parents are trying to hide from you.
If you feel like this is a bit too familiar and are wondering if now is the time to consider assisted living for your parents, then this article is going to look at some signs that can help you make your mind up.
Frequent Falls or Near-Falls at Home
A single fall can often be explained away as bad luck. But if there is a pattern of falls or close calls, this can point to something more than a bit of bad luck. It could be due to declining balance, vision changes, or hazards in the home itself such as loose rugs or poor lighting on the stairs.
To help you assess if falls are happening and being covered up, look for bruises or changes in mobility that can indicate pain, or even taking more pain medication than usual to reduce pain from a fall.
Missed Medications and Medication Mix-Ups
Signs to pick up on here include pill organizers left untouched, prescriptions turning out faster or slower than they should, or a parent who doesn’t actually remember whether they’ve already taken their morning dose or not. These are all indicators that medication management has become harder to keep track of alone.
This is a really important point to take note of, as missing medication or taking too much can be really dangerous. Many assisted living communities build medication management into their daily staff routines so that you’re not worrying about whether or not anything has been missed or if the right number of medications are being taken per day.
Noticeable Decline in Home Cleanliness or Hygiene
This one is really easy to spot if you’re making frequent visits to see your parents. You’ll notice a change in how they live pretty quickly. From mail piled up to a once tidy home now becoming messy to laundry that isn’t being washed, the signs will be obvious.
The same applies to personal hygiene. If your parent was once immaculately turned out and had standards they applied to their appearance each day, and now they don’t, this is a concerning change in the habits that should not be ignored. It might indicate they’re unable to care for themselves as they once were.
Increased Isolation
Loneliness is a silent killer in older populations, and if your parents once had a full schedule consisting of socializing and events and now they tend to stay at home, this is a worrying change that needs addressing. Assisted living facilities have people living together in a community setting, along with amenities and activities for parents to join if they’re struggling with getting out and about or having mobility issues that are limiting how much they can do each day.
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