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| Christiana Care Kicks off Participation in Home Care Program (Photo credit: Christiana Care) |
By Bob Gregory
Most of us want to be independent and it begins in early childhood
and continues to the day we leave this world. Asking for help is hard for
a lot of people but knowing when to ask for help is even harder.
Assessing whether you need to live where someone can assist you with
normal activities is key to a continued healthy and safe life in your
senior years. There are a few simple questions that you should ask
yourself and answer very honestly
Ask Yourself these Questions--Answer Honestly!
1) Has
transportation become a problem for you? Are
you having trouble driving or are you afraid to drive? If you take public transportation,
has it become difficult to keep the schedules and take correct routes?
Lack of transportation can quicklycause you to become a shut-in and miss
the pleasures of shopping, visiting friends and making important appointments.
2) Are you having difficulty maintaining your
home? If
you find your bills are not getting paid, repairs are not being made or
cleaning has become more of a monumental task than a chore, then you may want
to consider alternative living arrangements. This is especially true if
you find yourself seeking help for simple household chores or if you simply don’t want to do them anymore.
3) Do you feel alone or unsafe? If your mobility has decreased, whether
driving or walking, you can easily become isolated from friends and family.
Living alone always raises safety issues. Safety does not necessarily
mean from crime, it also encompasses falling, injuries or becoming ill with no
one to help or check on you.
4) Finally, do you depend on others frequently
for help? If
you find you are always asking for help with transportation, household chores
or more personal items, it may be time to seek a place where you are not
dependent on the help of family and friends.
There are many other signs and questions you should ask yourself,
but these four questions tend to indicate a need for an Assisted Living Facility.
You should discuss the answers to these questions with your family and
certainly with your physician. There are other alternatives to Assisted
Living Facilities such as Adult
Day Care and
In-Home Care.
Bob Gregory is an advocate for Seniors and is one of the founders
of www.seniorfacilityfinder.com. At
SeniorFacilityFinder.com, we are dedicated to helping families get the Elder
Care help they need without having to provide their personal information! If
find you need an assisted living facility or other type of senior facility,
please consider www.seniorfacilityfinder.com.
As always, we welcome your comments and advice!
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- Assisted living: Not your grandma's retirement (pattidudek.typepad.com)
- Adjusting to Life in Assisted Living Facilities (everydayhealth.com)
