When Care Needs Change: How to Start the Search for Assisted Living

There’s often not a clear sign that lets you know it’s the right time to move your loved one into an assisted living community. Navigating the search for assisted living can be difficult, but we’ll help you determine the best match for your loved one’s needs.

As your loved one grows older, they will undoubtedly depend on you more for help in completing their daily activities such as cleaning their house, running errands, and paying bills.

Maintaining a sense of independence is important for your loved one’s mental and physical well-being, and luckily assisted living residences offer the kind of resources and facilities that make completing their daily activities easier.

Is It Really Time to Search for Assisted Living? 

Assisted living residences are communities designed for greater mobility and safety for seniors, eliminating fall risks and providing them with world-class medical assistance. These communities help your loved one keep a sense of independence by creating a support system that helps them complete their daily activities.

It can be hard to know when the right time is to move your loved one into assisted living care. It’s not always a clear cut decision, however if your loved one has experienced one of these problems, it’s probably time you consider searching for a suitable assisted living residence:

• Having a broken hip
• Repeated falls
• Forgetting to take important medications
• Taking longer to recover after illness
• Showing a clear decline in health
• Unable to keep up with lawn work and maintaining a clean home
• Leaving their home and getting lost
• Unexpected behavioral changes, like becoming more aggressive
• Becoming depressed and having no sense of community  

Assisted living communities remove the burdens of keeping up a home so your loved one can spend more time focusing on their health and developing friendships with their fellow residents.

6 Things To Consider When Searching for Assisted Living

There are numerous assisted living communities in California, so how do you know which is right for your loved one? Ultimately, you’ll want to decide on the option that will keep your loved one healthy and happy for many years to come. 

Here are some of the main things to consider when choosing the right assisted living community:

1. Location

There are many considerations when deciding location: is the community near a hospital? Is it close enough to visit? Are there enough entertainment options in the city where it’s located? Ultimately, you’ll need to decide what location makes sense for your loved one’s needs.

2. Extra/Special Service Requirements

Some assisted living communities only offer limited health care services, which means that even simple health procedures require a physician’s approval. Be sure to understand each assisted living community’s requirements to understand what types of procedures and help are covered.

Does your loved one need specialized help in memory care? Research to see if the assisted living community specializes in particular areas your loved one may need additional help with.

3. Price

Assisted living communities’ prices vary widely state by state. Assisted living communities aren’t as expensive as you’d think. Prices change depending on location and amenities offered. 

4. Pets

Does your loved one have a pet? The good news is that many assisted living communities accept pets! Some only allow cats or small dogs, and may require an extra deposit, which is a small price to pay to keep your loved one’s furry companion at their side.

5. Visitation

Learn about visitation rules for assisted living communities. During COVID-19, many visitation rules have temporarily changed to enhance the safety of community residences. 

6. Extra Curriculars

Is your loved one socially active or in need of a social community? Research your assisted living community’s website to see if they have a calendar of upcoming events. 

What Kind of Assisted Living Housing Do We Need?

Many assisted living communities offer both private and shared living spaces for residents, depending on their wants and needs.

Many residents are capable of living in a completely independent apartment located in their building. Others can opt to live in a shared space, similar to a college dorm.

For residents suffering from advanced Alzheimer’s or dementia, many communities offer special open rooms where residents can live and be closely monitored around the clock.

Start Here: Find The Right Assisted Living For Your Loved One

At The Kensington Redondo Beach, we promise to love and care for your loved one as we do our own. Our assisted living community offers far more services and amenities than your average senior residence community. 

We include a full spectrum of clinical support, 24-hour nursing staff, and a medical director that’s on call 24/7. For seniors looking for plenty of extra-curriculars, we offer a busy social event calendar.

We offer physical and occupation therapy, speech therapy, memory care, fitness programs, life enrichment activities, and more, to help your loved one maintain their sense of independence. 

Are you still looking for more information on placing your loved one in an assisted living community? Call or email us today for a quick response to learn how The Kensington can help your loved one today. 

Additional Recommended Reading:

• Making Spirits Bright: Engaging Loved Ones with Memory Loss this Holiday
• Coping with the Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or Dementia
• Noticing Behavior Changes in Your Senior Loved One This Holiday Season
• Benefits of Moving to Senior Living During a Difficult Time