Everything You Should Know About Elder Care
When you, your parents, or someone you love transitions into the stage of life where living comfortably becomes more of a challenge, you should know all of your options. Finding the right elder care option for you or your loved one can be an overwhelming process, something that we here at Collins & Company are very familiar with- that’s why we want to help take all that stress off your hands. To avoid the hassle and making sure you come up with a right, fair plan of action, we’ve put this blog together that outlines when to know it’s time to explore elder care options and the process of selling and moving into a nursing home or assisted living facility.
When to Know it’s Time for the Transition
SeniorAdvisor.com, a website dedicated to sharing knowledge on all things senior care and services, highlights 5 important signs it’s time for assisted living:
Difficulty with basic tasks- When small tasks like paying the bills, remembering to take medicine, or moving objects around the house become harder than need be or neglected altogether, it’s time to take a closer look at care services.
Chores being neglected- Similar to the previous point, neglecting housework, such as never doing laundry, leaving dirty dishes lying around, and letting the house get dusty, suggests that their situation needs reconsidering.
Frequent injuries (even if minor)- According to their blog post, 2.5 million seniors have injuries related to falling, and, for many, damage is endured.
Significant weight loss- When your loved one is no longer able to maintain a healthy lifestyle on their own, like being unable or unmotivated to cook their own meals and losing their appetites, assistance may be needed.
A tendency toward isolation- Spending the days cooped up inside and going days without social interaction signals that your loved one may be lonely. Looking into nursing homes or senior living communities may be necessary, for it would increase your loved one’s social interactions.
Next Steps
If you’ve read the signs above and feel like making this transition is right for you or your loved one, ensure your taking the proper next steps:
Downsizing- If senior living is the way to go, it’s a good idea to start the transition process by taking inventory of everything you or your loved one owns. Figure out what possessions are for keeping, donating, and throwing away. We at Collins & Company are well versed in this process, and can help you figure out what you need/don’t need to fit into a smaller accommodation.
Scout options in the area for assisted living or nursing homes that best fit you or your loved one’s lifestyle and needs- This one’s self-explanatory; be sure to consider everything, from quality of staff members and living quarters to what activities are offered, and be sure to sit down with managers, staff members, and residents of each home to get their take on the place. (P.S.- Collins & Company can help with this step, too!)
Enlist help to sell your current home- Once you’ve mentally prepared yourself or your loved one for their move, the next step is selling your home. We recommend you enlist the help of family members and realtors like us here at Collins & Company to ensure it’s done right and without all the stress. Family members, read this blog post to understand how to deal with the stress that may come with relocation.
Get acquainted with new surroundings- Once you’ve picked the right place for your situation, take time to get to know the area, from talking to people and exploring what there is to do. This will help ease the transition in making you feel more comfortable with your new home!
Testimonial:
Dear Claire,
It is hard for me to express sufficiently the level of appreciation that my family and myself are experiencing after the efforts that you and your firm have made to assist with the sale of this apartment. Help with clearance and tidying, moving and the removals. Negotiations with a very difficult purchaser, his lawyer and with the management company and the realtors. You even attended the final walk through. All with the expertise and experience which was missing from this side.
The lengths to which you have gone to help with the disposing of the contents and storage of some of the remainder. To sit and help Harold sift through old photographs and office papers is well above the call.
None of the above takes account or even mentions the general care and kindness you have given to an ageing couple in need of help. The patience you have shown to them is beyond measure and makes a mockery of calling you a good broker. You are a genuinely good person as has been shown throughout.
After I left Florida on 5th August you just took over in a manner which I could never have expected. You kept me informed at every turn and, when required, solved problems without further reference.
I`ll be happy to recommend your services to anyone who enquires. It will be my pleasure.
With grateful thanks, Yours sincerely,
JOHN STOCK FNAEA, FICBA john@stockandpartners.co.uk
We hope this blog helps you or someone you care about in the overwhelming process that is deciding and transitioning to elder care services. Please contact Collins & Company with any further questions/advice you may need, and let us be the first call you make when you need help making this transition- our team is experienced in the matter, and we want to make this process easier for YOU.