Is Long-Term Care Right for Me? Five Facts to Consider
At a certain stage in life, many seniors begin to question whether a move to a long-term care facility is right for them. Their spouse may be struggling with memory loss or they feel like they need more help in order to live a more fulfilling life. Most of the time, seniors express pondering a move because they don’t want to be a burden to their adult children.
The decision to move or stay put is a very difficult decision to make. There are many factors to take into consideration, as well as a wide variety of long-term senior living options in which to choose. If you’ve been debating whether to make the move, here are five factors that you need to consider before you make your decision.
Your Lifestyle & Preferences
The first fact you need to look at is your own lifestyle and preferences. Before touring senior living communities, ask yourself what your best day looks like. What time do you like to get up? When do you like to go to bed? What hobbies do you pursue? How do you spend most of your day? Senior living facilities are a great option for someone whose lifestyle matches their routine. While marketing directors will sell you on care plans tailored to your needs, the reality is that you’ll likely have to compromise some of your preferences in order for staff to accommodate the needs of everyone else living there.
Most Meals Will Be Eaten in a Community Setting
Another fact to consider is the options for meals are often limited in senior living communities. Larger communities may have a formal and informal dining setting, but there will still be set mealtimes that you’ll have to adjust to. At first, having fine dining available for two or three meals a day sounds wonderful, but be sure to ask how often the menus are rotated. Can you easily get a simple PB&J when you’re not that hungry? What happens if you miss a mealtime? Is there an option for you to eat in your apartment, or are you required to eat in the dining room? Some independent living facilities provide apartments equipped with full kitchens and some assisted living facilities offer microwaves and refrigerators, so you’ll need to keep that in mind as you debate what’s best for you.
Loneliness Still Exists in Senior Living
Despite senior living communities boasting that seniors that make the move are happier and less lonely, loneliness still exists in long-term care environments. It’s easy for a senior who lives in independent or assisted living to get lost and to hole up in their apartment. It can be challenging to make new friends, especially if there seem to be cliques. Again, marketing directors may boast of wonderful activities and opportunities to socialize, but it’s often left to the senior to get involved and show up to an event. If you’re a senior who’s more introverted and not one to participate in larger group activities, your personality is not going to change just because you moved into a senior living community.
Staffing Ratios
Yet another fact you need to consider is the staffing ratios of where you plan to move. It’s not only the staffing ratios, but what that means to you personally should you move to that community. Most senior living facilities are staffed per the state guidelines. Some may be able to staff greater than those recommendations by the state, but even still, each employee comes at a cost to the company. All of this means that you won’t receive the one-on-one care you deserve at this stage of your life. There will be times that you’ll need to wait for assistance.
You Might Need to Move Again
Finally, you need to consider what happens should your health take a detrimental turn for the worse. If you’re only looking at communities that offer independent or assisted living for seniors, you could need to make another move in the future, depending on your health. What happens if you show signs of memory loss? What happens if you have a stroke and need additional support or care? What if you need more assistance than the facility can provide legally? If you’re looking at continuous care communities, facilities that offer levels of care from independent through skilled nursing, does the community promise a bed to a current resident should they need skilled care, or would you be placed on a waiting list or forced to find other living arrangements? What happens when a spouse needs more care than you, can you move with your spouse? These are often questions that most seniors neglect to consider before making the move to long-term care.
Before you consider long-term care, there is another great option that doesn’t require a move. That option is home care provided by Visiting Angels South Elgin. We make it possible for seniors who need assistance to remain comfortably and safely in their own home. We can provide a wide variety of senior home care services that meet your individual needs and preferences. We work with you, one-on-one, so that you never have to wait for a shower or other help. Our compassionate caregivers provide companionship to many seniors, engaging with seniors in pursuits that they enjoy. We can even help with meal planning and preparation, so that your refrigerator is well-stocked with nutritious meals when we’re not around. If you are considering long-term care, please give us the chance to meet with you so that we can share how we make it possible for seniors to remain in the comfort of their own home. We look forward to hearing from you. Contact us today by calling 847-429-0100.