When you have an elderly relative in your life, you probably have a lot of amazing memories with that person. However, you might also be experiencing some sadness at seeing him or her age. One of the important parts of caring for your aging loved one is knowing when caring for them become too much. How can you tell if the time has come to have that person moving into a nursing home? The following are a few ways to know if your loved one should move to a nursing home.
Living Alone
If your relative is not living by him or herself, then the chances significantly decrease that the services of a nursing home are necessary. When another person is in the house, at least an individual is there to let in the aids, convey information to the nurses who come to the house and call 911 in case of an emergency. However, if the other person or people living there are also declining in age, then you might need to consider the option of a nursing home. In addition if your loved one is living alone, you might consider having them go to a nursing home.
Elderly people living alone could lead to a variety of problems. The classic concern is if your loved one falls and is unable to get up. Without someone at home, he or she could lay on the floor for hours or longer, unable to move. Another concern is personal care. At times, a person who is aging has trouble caring for him or herself. The person may forget to take medication, may have trouble cooking or may even have trouble bathing. If you are concerned about your loved one who is living alone, it may be time to consider a nursing home.
Family is Far Away
Even though you have a close relationship with this individual, you live quite far away. On top of that, no one else is really close-by anymore. As a result, this person cannot easily get help from a family member or friend if an emergency occurs. Even simple tasks, such as going shopping or paying bills, can be aggravated for a person suffering from disease or other forms of declining health.
Like the previous point, if your loved one lives alone while family members live far away, he or she may not be able to care for him or herself. In addition, if an emergency happens, your loved one may have trouble doing what he or she needs to do.
Lack of Social Interaction
You should also pay attention to the social interactions your loved one has. No matter how old a person is, he or she still needs to have communication with peers, according to a nursing care facility Columbus. When no one else is around, a nursing home can actually be a majorly positive experience. This person might find a whole new sense of life that once seemed to be lost.
While an elderly person living alone often becomes less social, a nursing home can help facilitate friendships among its residents. Nursing homes often have bingo and other game nights. In addition, many of the residents eat their meals together, allowing them to interact with one another.
Request to Go
In many cases, people do take a lot of convincing before they will go to a nursing home. However, in other scenarios, a person will realize what is happening and actually request to go. Do your best to meet the wishes of your elderly relative. Make sure you talk with your loved one about the decision. If he or she does not want to make the move to the nursing home, find out why. Sometimes, adjusting to a new environment can seem daunting. If you show your love and concern for them and explain the reasons you think it is the time to make the move, your loved one will understand where you are coming from. Even if your loved one does not agree with you, he or she will know your opinion is coming from love rather than not wanting to take care of him or her anymore.
Having to place someone in a nursing home can be difficult, but the decision is often the best one. Nursing homes offer an available staff 24 hours a day seven days a week. Nursing homes also offer medical helps that can be hard to gave at home. Nursing home staff can be sure to give your loved one the proper medications. If your loved one has a habit of wandering, the staff can keep a close eye so he or she does not get lost. As you look into various nursing home options, make sure you do proper research to find the right fit for your loved one.