Determining when it is time for a loved one to move into a nursing home is a tough process. Many people try to put this off as long as they can, but doing so can cause some hardships on the caregivers.
Making decisions like this will sometimes take a team effort. Your loved one’s medical care team might assist with this process since they can help you to understand what your loved one truly needs.
Increasingly needing more care
There might come a point when you realize that your loved one is needing a lot more help and care than what they formerly required. This is one sign that you need to consider a skilled nursing facility or an assisted living facility.
Some elderly people might try to stay at home by hiring caregivers, but this isn’t always ideal. Ultimately, you have to think about what is best for your loved one.
Aggressive or violent tendencies
Aggression and violent tendencies can occur as people age, especially when dementia is a factor. This behavior often requires skilled care. Trying to make things work out with keeping the person at home once these behaviors have started could end up making the people who care for them feel resentful.
Safety concerns
Keeping your loved ones safe is a primary concern as they age. This can be difficult to do. As dementia sets in, the person might wander. This could be very dangerous because the person can leave home without people knowing. Once they leave, they might not be able to get back home safely. In these cases, you might need to consider a memory care unit that can keep your loved one safe.
Conservatorship
If your loved one isn’t able to make decisions for himself or herself, you might need to explore the possibility of a conservatorship. A conservatorship means that the court will appoint a conservator to handle the person’s affairs. This can be a person or an organization, depending on what is necessary.
Make sure that you think carefully when you are handling these types of affairs for your loved one. This is a time that requires careful balance because you don’t want the adult to feel like a disenfranchised and powerless child. Instead, work on finding the best balance you possibly can.