Is It Time for Your Loved One to Leave Home?
One of the most difficult decisions that a family caregiver can make is to put their loved one in a senior care home. Canadians’ commitment to keeping their elderly family members at home is evident in the numbers.
Of the 6.2 million people in Canada over age 65, just 2.6 per cent of them are in senior citizens’ residence. At some point, this small minority and their caregivers made the decision that one of these facilities would be the best option for their needs.
In some situations, a move might be needed long before palliative care is needed. So don’t assume that your loved one has to be near the end of their life for them to benefit from a senior residence.
So, is it time for your loved one to leave home? Here are a few important signs to help you decide.
Incapable of Day-to-day Tasks
Seniors value their independence, in some cases, even more as they age and worry about burdening loved ones. However, chronic health conditions and physical disabilities can prevent them from doing basic tasks such as preparing meals, bathing, or housekeeping.
Sometimes, physical health might not be the root cause of their inability to perform daily duties. It can be a lack of motivation or a mental health issue such as depression.
When they can no longer ably or safely do these tasks, moving to a senior residence, such as an assisted living facility, can help ease their daily lives considerably.
Memory Loss
According to the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada, 64 per cent of us will experience some memory loss after age 65. It can be age-associated memory impairment, mild cognitive impairment, or dementia. More than 45,800 Albertans are currently living with dementia.
While age-associated memory impairment and mild cognitive impairment do not typically affect daily life, dementia does. As dementia progresses, it is literally life-threatening, which is why being in a senior care facility can be very beneficial.
Also, mild cognitive impairment increases the risk of dementia. Keep in mind that, increasingly, some senior residences are implementing memory care facilities to help slow memory loss.
Poor Nutrition
Malnutrition among seniors is increasing. In Canada, 34 per cent of those who live at home do not get adequate nutrition, according to Statistics Canada. Being malnourished increases their risk of illnesses such as osteoporosis and muscle wasting, hospitalization and death.
A senior’s nutrition can become compromised for several reasons. They might be too weak to cook, have a reduced appetite, or have a disease such as Alzheimer’s, thyroid disease or cancer. Sometimes poorly fitting dentures or a lack of money are to blame.
At a senior care home, staff can monitor your loved one’s nutritional needs and ensure that they are being met.
Chronic Health Problems
In many cases, care recipients and their family caregivers decide that moving to a senior residence is best because of chronic health problems. As much as you might want to keep your loved one at home, there might come a time when you cannot provide the type of care that they need.
It’s important to be honest about your ability as a family caregiver at this stage. Because when your loved one does not get the care they need, their health and quality of life is at risk.
Look into residences that can provide the type of specialist care that your family member needs.
Also, mild cognitive impairment increases the risk of dementia. Keep in mind that, increasingly, some senior residences are implementing memory care facilities to help slow memory loss.
Difficulty Taking Medications
Several challenges can occur when it comes to taking medications. For instance, your loved one might forget to take them on time or they might stop taking them altogether. In some cases, they might notice adverse reactions and continue to take the medication because they believe they are following the doctor’s orders.
If you cannot keep track of how they are managing their meds — or cannot find someone else to do so, including a professional — they might benefit from being in a senior’s residence.
Loneliness
As seniors age at home, especially with chronic illnesses, they can find themselves isolated and suffering from extreme loneliness. In some cases, loneliness can lead to depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts.
During the pandemic, many seniors adapted to social distancing and isolation by using social media and neighbourhood resources, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Nursing.
If your care recipient does not show any interest in using these mitigating tools and resources to combat the loneliness of living at home, a move to a care home might be just what they need.
Physical or Mobility Limitations at Home
While ageing-in-place is a coveted goal for many seniors, their home environment might not be conducive to letting this happen.
For instance, they might live in a house with stairs but cannot climb them. The house might have a steep driveway or outdoor area that they cannot manage. Or they might be using a wheelchair or walker that is hard to maneuvre through doorways and in some smaller rooms.
Today, federal and provincial programs offer financial subsidies to help people retrofit their homes for their needs. But those subsidies might be only a drop in the bucket when it comes to the overall renovation cost.
If you and your loved one can find a place that already meets all their mobility needs, it is worth considering.
Inadequate Care to Meet Their Needs
If you are an only child or the sole caregiver for an elderly relative, family caregiving is even more challenging. All the burden and responsibilities are on you. Being a caregiver can disrupt your own family life, social life, work or career, and life aspirations.
It might be difficult to be honest with yourself about whether or not you are meeting your loved one’s needs as a caregiver. In some cases, you might not even identify as a caregiver and have assumed the full weight of the role. In others, you might be trying our best to manage as a long-distance caregiver but things are falling through the cracks.
If any of these situations apply and you do not have a strong caregiver network in place to ensure an elderly relative’s needs aren’t being met, it might be time for him or her to leave home.
A Big, But Necessary Decision
When it is time for your loved one to leave home, try to look at it as a new, promising stage of life. Yes, it is difficult and most of us would rather age in place. But putting off this decision might cause your loved one’s health and well-being to deteriorate. It might increase their sense of isolation and loneliness as well as your sense of guilt or inadequacy as a caregiver.
Have a frank discussion about the next steps to take. And be proactive about making the experience a positive one as much as you possibly can.
