Is Assisted Living Right for Your Parent or Another Loved One?

 Sometimes a senior has a fall or another medical emergency that precipitates the need for a change in their living circumstances such as a move into an assisted living community.  Other times, the situation is not so clear-cut and is more a case of a senior slowly losing the ability to attend to their daily care needs.  We know it is upsetting for families to see their loved one decline, which is why experts offer advice to help determine if an assisted living setting would be an improvement in their lifestyle.  

One way to decide if assisted living is right for your parent or another loved one is to take an inventory of what they are having trouble doing for themselves and if assistance would improve their quality of life.  For instance, are they having a hard time preparing and cooking meals or need help bathing, toileting, and dressing?  Have they stopped driving and spend a lot of time alone?  Is your normally tidy parent now letting the household tasks go and/or mail is stacking up unopened and bills not getting paid?

Other factors that indicate the need for more help includes recent falls or burns from using water that is too hot or from cooking.  Warning signs also include a history of medication mismanagement or worsening chronic health problems, which could all benefit from the care received in an assisted living community.  

Another advantage to assisted living is that it can also provide your loved one with social activities and companionship.  Often seniors live alone, and as many have stopped driving, they do not get out on their own.  Assisted living communities provide seniors with an opportunity to live comfortably and securely as well as to enjoy a range of activities and the company of others.   

At MorningStar of Wheat Ridge, we offer 45 stylish assisted living suites with a choice of spacious studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom floor plans (some over 700 square feet).  We make it easy for retirement years to be carefree with a full range of amenities, care services, wellness programs and activities.   For the area’s finest assisted living or memory care, contact us for more information.

MorningStar of Wheat Ridge’s mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other senior living communities. We have built a foundation on honoring God, valuing our seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve. Set in a warm, loving atmosphere with beautiful surroundings and resort-style amenities, we provide outstanding assisted living and memory care.