When is the right time for a retirement center?

Everyone ages, obviously.

But, sometimes, it’s not so obvious when older loved ones may need help to age gracefully. There are several signs to watch for, but sudden fluctuations in weight, a change in appearance, or frequent tumbles or accidents could indicate your older loved one may need some help.

If any of the following signs begin manifesting itself, a conversation with your loved one may be in order. Maybe a simple explanation is to be blamed, but maybe something more involved is the cause. In many cases, increased interaction in social situations may be all your parent or loved one needs.

Weight Loss/Weight Gain

Increased interaction in social situations may be all your parent or loved one needs.

When you give your loved one a hug, do they feel thinner or more frail? There could be many healthy reasons for this, but if they seem to forget to eat, or even forget to shop, that could necessitate the need for independent living care where more socializing can help.

There could be other reasons as well. Depression could lead to a loved one’s diminished efforts for simple, everyday necessities like eating. Perhaps your loved one doesn’t recognize they have an illness that is causing the weight loss. On the flip side, the older person in your life may be forgetting they just ate an hour ago and fixes another meal or snack. Or even a financial issue could prevent them from eating healthy foods, relying on prepackaged foods instead.

Changes in appearance

When someone is known for their tidy appearance and crisply ironed dress shirts starts wearing t-shirts or pullovers, they could have an issue with their dexterity and can no longer manage something as simple as buttoning up a shirt. Or perhaps they have lost the strength to manage with an iron and ironing board. Forgetfulness could be the culprit if the same outfit is worn over and over again, or clothes aren’t being laundered as much anymore (if at all).

Increasing accidents or falls

Everybody has the occasional accident, tripping over a curb when crossing the street or knocking something off the table. But when these types of accidents become more frequent, a parent may need help with day-to-day tasks or maybe downsizing their living arrangement would help.

If a fall required much longer recovery than normal or wasn’t tended to, or an untreated cold turned into something more serious, your aging parent may need more consistent social interactions than you’re able to provide. Being close to medical facilities can also help when urgent issues arise.

You’ve always known your parent or older loved one to be independent and outgoing, so when the above troubles begin to take place, have a conversation. If you decide a retirement center is the solution to keep them living independently, and to provide more socialization, contact Knight of Pythias Active Retirement Center to see if they can help.

Your parent has been taking care of others for decades. It might be time to return the favor.