Five Signs That It Is Time to Consider a Retirement Home

While it is something that most people do not want to give any thought to, there is going to come a time in life when a person realizes that they can no longer care for an elderly family member. It could be due to extenuating circumstances, meaning that a person can no longer be at home for as much time as the family member needs, or it can be due to the development of health problems in the family member that a person is not equipped to handle.

No matter what the reasons might be, these are some of the signs that it may be time to consider the options that are presented at assisted living facilities.

1. Injuries Have Occurred Due to Caregiving

There are plenty of people out there who view caregiving as only involving feeding and regular communication and mental stimulation with a person. The reality of things is that caregiving often involves a lot more laborious work than this. For example, a loved one who has limited mobility may need to be helped in and out of the bathtub in order to be bathed. This can lead to injuries on the caregiver’s side of things due to strain and overworking oneself when not having the training necessary.

If a person has become injured after trying to care for a loved one, it may be a sign that your loved one needs more care than one person can provide.

2. Your Loved One’s Safety Is in Danger If Someone Isn’t Around

There are some cases where retirement homes are an option because it is more convenient and it offers a sense of community for a person who may not be able-bodied enough to find people on their own. However, there are also times when these homes should be considered because no person can be reasonably expected to watch another person through all hours of the day, aside from profession-related reasons.

What this means is that if a person finds themselves in a situation where there is a risk of a loved one injuring themselves, not feeding themselves, or wandering away from home when left without supervision, it may be time to consider a retirement home that has the resources to care for these needs.

3. Family Problems Are Occurring Outside of Your Loved One

When people find themselves in situations where they are giving all of their time, resources, and energy to a loved one, this means that the person is unable to provide the same level and intensity of care to family, even immediate family living with that person. This can lead to a number of family problems ranging from an upset or lonely child to marital turmoil.

If this is occurring when a person is trying to care for a loved one, this is a sign that not only is caregiver burnout on the horizon, but that it might be time to look at assisted living facilities. These facilities will have full-time caregivers who can take the time off a person’s hands so that the person can be with their family throughout the day.

4. Burnout Is Imminent or Has Already Occurred

A lot of people do not realize that there is such a thing known as caregiver burnout. Much as with burnout associated with work, a person can expend all of their resources trying to care for another person, leaving them unable to care for themselves.

There are often signs of caregiver burnout being imminent before it fully hits, with those signs including emotional dysregulation, numbness, and overall exhaustion. If caregiver burnout has already occurred, or it sounds like something that is quickly approaching in the near future, this is a clear sign that it may be time for your loved one to be in a retirement home where full-time caregivers can assist with his or her needs.

5. Assisted Living Would Be Cheaper Than Home Care Services

There comes a point when a loved one may need numerous services to keep them safe, well-fed, and mobile. While needing one or potentially even two at-home services for your loved one is not indicative of them needing to have a full-time caretaker at a facility, when the cost of all of the home care services is beginning to total more than a retirement home would, the answer becomes clear.

People cannot be expected to provide the same level of full-time caregiving services that trained professionals at nursing homes would be capable of offering; likewise, they cannot be expected to spend the same amount on assistive services either.