Senior care refers to specialized care meant to help senior citizens live better lives. Senior care encompasses home care, hospice care, long-term care, assisted living, senior housing, and adult daycare.
Seniors do not need to have serious health conditions to benefit from senior care, however. On the contrary, senior care can benefit any senior who experiences difficulties with daily life, including social isolation.
If you think that a loved one might benefit from senior care, there are some questions worth asking before broaching the subject.
Is it Time for Senior Care?
Not all elderly people require senior care. That being said, old age does often make it difficult to perform basic daily tasks, like driving or shopping, and senior care can help make these tasks easier.
Senior care may be necessary, however, for seniors who struggle to perform daily tasks due to health issues.
Generally speaking, these issues fall under three categories: physical, emotional, and cognitive.
Physical health issues:
- Chronic diseases
- Injuries
- Sensory difficulties (e.g. trouble seeing or hearing)
Cognitive health issues:
- Attention problems
- Memory loss or forgetfulness
- Alzheimers or Dementia
- Language difficulties (e.g. confusing or having trouble pronouncing words)
Emotional health issues:
- Social withdrawal
- Change in personality
- Irritability
- Depression
- Suicidality
- Anxiety
- Mood swings
- Loneliness
- Anhedonia (loss of interest in activities once found pleasurable)
Physical issues often overlap with cognitive issues, as well as emotional and psychological issues. For instance, a broken hip may lead to decreased mobility, which may lead to social withdrawal, which may lead to loneliness or even depression.
Loneliness, in fact, increases the chances of suffering from other health issues. Senior care, specifically senior housing, can invite a senior person into a community, where they are less likely to feel lonely and therefore to experience correlated health issues.
Many seniors may benefit most from senior housing in their hometown. For instance, seniors who live or grew up in Winnipeg, Canada, may benefit from senior housing in Winnipeg.
How to Broach the Subject of Senior Care?
Medical professionals, caregivers, friends, and family members are often the first to notice early warning signs of Alzheimer’s and other health issues indicating that seniors may benefit or require senior care.
Senior care can be a difficult subject to broach, but when seniors start finding it difficult to perform daily tasks, it may be time to speak to them about senior care.
Before broaching the subject, however, there are certain questions worth asking:
- Can care be offered in the home, or is a facility a better option?
- Is professional help necessary?
- What kinds of services will provide the required care?
- What kinds of care are affordable?
Depending on the answers to these questions, some kinds of senior care may be better than others. Just be sure you know the options before you broach the subject.