Does My Loved-One Need 24 Hour Care? [How to Know if It’s Time]

It isn’t easy to spot when your loved one needs to navigate from hourly care to 24-hour care. People often ask, “How do I know if it’s time?”

Aging is inevitable. No matter if it is you or a loved one, everyone will need care at some point.

24-hour care is often the method of assistance that comes to mind for seniors. It involves around-the-clock assistance by a certified medical professional, such as a nurse or licensed, skilled caregiver.

This form of senior care can be administered by a home caretaker or by an assisted living facility. For the purposes of this conversation, we’ll be focusing on 24-hour care in an assisted living facility.

When is 24 Hour Care for a Senior Necessary?

For the elderly, living at home can become a challenge, especially if dementia or other medical conditions are present. So, how do you know when your elderly mom, dad, brother, etc., needs 24-hour care?

Multiple factors give it away, but sometimes, you can just feel it coming.

How to Know if It’s Time for 24 Hour Care (5 Key Signs)

Knowing when it is time for 24-hour care can make the difference between chaos and calm. Watch out for these five key signs that it’s time to consider assisted living as an option.

Lack of Mobility

Your loved one might need 24-hour care if they cannot get around as easily as they used to. This might appear mild, or due to a medical condition, lack of mobility may appear severe.

For example, your loved one might not be able to bend over to put on their shoes. On the other hand, they might be disabled from the waist down, requiring a wheelchair.

Consider 24-hour care if your loved one cannot travel to the store, retrieve the mail, or even navigate home. Not being able to bend and move can drastically impact someone’s quality of life.

Looking to stay mobile but not sure where to start? Take a look at these 5 helpful methods to help increase mobility.

Decline in Hygiene

A decline in personal hygiene can create awkward or embarrassing situations socially, but it can also result in infections and rashes.

If your loved one is not properly bathing or brushing their teeth, it may mean they 1) lack the energy to do so, 2) cannot remember on their own, or 3) there is another problem occurring.

With 24 hour care at a living facility, hygiene becomes a scheduled routine. Someone will be there to notice hygiene changes and help if needed.

Worsening Symptoms of an Illness (Dementia, Parkinson’s, & More)

Illness is a tricky thing, particularly long-term illnesses, and they get worse with time.

For example, it’s common for dementia patients to become aggressive, unable to make decisions for themselves, or even use the restroom. Wandering aimlessly away from home is also extremely common.

Parkinson’s disease may require expert care as well once symptoms reach a certain level of severity.

Nurses at a 24-hour facility can monitor your loved one’s illness to watch for symptom progression under a controlled environment.

Home Safety Concerns

The most usual sign that your loved one needs 24-hour care is frequent falls. Just one bad fall can break a bone and land them in the hospital. If they have to climb up and down stairs in their home, that could be even worse.

Home safety concerns are not limited to falling. Your loved one could injure themselves while cooking, cleaning, or carrying heavy items.

You can try remodeling the home for safety, but a 24-hour facility is built with ease of mobility and safety in mind.

Family Stress & Dysfunction

The strain from caring for an elderly family member can cause extreme stress.

You may have a child and spouse at home to care for already, and adding an extra layer of responsibility on top of that is stressful. If your mom needs around-the-clock care, it impacts your ability to care for your children, spouse, and even yourself.

This added stress and dysfunction will ultimately affect the relationships you have with everyone around you because you will be constantly frazzled and overworked.

How to Find a Round-the-Clock Care Facility Near You

Sandyside Senior Living assisted living facility in White Lake, MI

As a family member, friend, or partner, accepting our loved one’s deterioration or limitations is no easy feat. We want to hold onto their lively memory for as long as possible, which is a completely natural way to react. However, wanting your loved one to be youthful again shouldn’t mask the reality of the situation.

Over 800,000 Americans are residing in an assisted living facility.

Don’t wait for tragedy to occur before accepting that your loved one needs 24-hour care in an assisted facility. The trained professionals who work at assisted living centers are there for a reason: to extend your loved one’s life and make “living” a happier experience for everyone.

To find an around-the-clock care facility near you, try calling your preferred medical center to see if they know of a 24-hour care center in your area.

If you happen to live near White Lake, Michigan, Sandyside Senior Living is a great place to start.

Sandyside Senior Living

This information was provided by Sandyside Senior Living in White Lake, Michigan. Sandyside specializes in advanced care for seniors with dementia, Parkinson’s, and all age-related illness.

Interested in learning more about Sandyside Senior Living? Contact Sandyside online, or call at (248) 698-3700.