You love your elderly relative, whether they are your mother, father, or aunt. So, it can be a difficult decision to make for many family members when your loved one begins showing signs of dementia. Do you attempt to keep your loved one out and about in the community? Or do you bite the bullet and start looking for a residential setting for them to move into?
This is a tough conversation to broach. Instead of seeing assisted living as a place where your loved one will simply be put, there are many advantages to having them move into such a setting, and this article will introduce you to the most common ones.
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They Won’t Be Bored
A key thing to consider is the boredom factor that your relative may feel when living at home, which is not good for dementia. You and other family members may be working, and they may be under-stimulated and isolated due to physical health needs. A key advantage of being moved into assisted living is that they will no longer be bored, as these facilities offer game nights, exercise and outings as often as your loved one can manage. This type of activity helps to keep your loved one’s brain active. To see more examples of the mental stimulations they will receive, visit https://www.brandycare.com/our-communities/princeton/.
Help On Site
Unless you or those who your older loved ones live with are medically trained, it can be hard to know what to do and when to do it. An assisted living facility will come along with nurses and support workers who will ensure that your loved one is cared for and has immediate medical care if needed. So their safety and well-being will be better looked after. These staff members can also ensure that your relative takes any medication when required. It is general for people with dementia to forget to take their medication or forget when they had their last dose.
Safety Features
Safety features of assisted living are another thing to consider. In your own home, there may be a steep staircase, or a lack of grab rails around the property, making it hard for your loved one to navigate if they have osteoarthritis or other mobility issues. An assisted living facility will be decked out with safety features to help them move about safely and minimize injuries.
Security
Then there is also the security factor. The majority, if not all, supported living facilities have security guards and gates, so your loved one will be safe at all times. There are also CCTV cameras and reports of the daily activities at the facility.
Better Health
It is not rare for people who have dementia to have unusual eating habits or to stop eating altogether, causing them to lose weight and become ill. Moving into an assisted living facility will improve their health as they will have access to three meals a day that they do not have to cook. As mentioned before, they will also have access to nurses, doctors, and support workers who will oversee their care and ensure that any health issues are detected quickly and treated.
