Is It Time?

I first read this article six years ago. It is still as sad today as it was then. The article is about a 98-year-old woman who was being evicted by her oldest son. The son had acquired the house years earlier through a quit claim deed and now claimed his mother was no longer able to properly care for herself on a daily basis. You can read the article for yourself at: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/98-year-old-fights-eviction-son-article-1.1024715.

I don’t know what the outcome was, but it does beg the question, “when is it time to send a family member or friend to assisted living “? I went online to research this and found several thousand articles. Below is my condensed list to when you might consider moving a family member or friend into assisted living. This list is definitely not all-inclusive. There are other signs and factors to look for and consider. These are merely a few of the most obvious and intended only to make you more observant and aware of what you may want to be on the lookout for.

Safety Issues –Falling down often, leaving the stove on, are examples.

Performance of Daily Tasks – It’s a given that most everything becomes harder as we grow older. But if your friend or loved one is having problems with simple things like getting groceries, showering, getting dressed or using the toilet then it may be time to look into assisted living.

Taking Medication Properly – Examples include not taking medication as it is prescribed, forgetting to refill prescriptions, or having expired medication around the house.

Other Signs – These might include significant weight loss, mood swings, or memory loss. Any of these could be indicative of larger, more serious problems.

The issues outlined above are certainly not all the issues an elderly person may encounter. These are merely a few and my intent is to make you think about these and be on the lookout for others.