When Is the Right Time for Senior Living?

About Tori Thurmond

Tori Thurmond combines her creative writing background with her marketing experience in her role as the Content Specialist at Brookdale. When she's not writing, she's probably spending time with her two cats or knitting.

mother and daughter talking to senior living advisor

You’ve just been home for the holidays or seen your aging loved one for the first time in a while and things seem a little different. Maybe mom isn’t getting around quite as well as she used to or the household chores are hard for dad to keep up with every day.

Is now the right time to talk to your family member about the possibility of senior living? It can be hard for you and your aging loved one to know when the right time for senior living is. While everyone’s decision to move into senior living is nuanced and personal, here are a few things to consider as you’re thinking about a move.

Dad Needs Less Time Spent on Home Maintenance

For older adults living in a house or apartment, there’s a lot of regular maintenance that goes into living on their own. From yard work to vacuuming and mopping, these chores can be difficult for someone who has limited mobility, not to mention they can pose an increased fall risk. It might be time to start thinking about senior living with your loved one if you notice that daily tasks like cooking, cleaning and home maintenance seem less appealing to them. Talk with your family member and see how they are getting by with these daily tasks. If the tasks are starting to feel like a burden, senior living could be a great option. In a senior living community, residents don’t have to worry about house maintenance anymore and can focus on doing more of what they enjoy.

Mom Needs Additional Healthcare Support

Has your loved one dealt with health challenges lately? Or are they struggling to remember to take their medicine? Whether your family member has been dealing with a chronic condition for a while or a new medical challenge has come up, not knowing when they might need more medical assistance can be stressful for you and your loved one. In a senior living community, your family member will likely have more access to support when needed. If you want to make sure someone is there for them in the event of an emergency or think they may need support maintaining their daily routine, like remembering to take their medication, senior living could be a solution.

Different senior living communities have different offerings when it comes to in-house health services and levels of care, so if you do start looking into senior living options, just make sure you and your loved one are happy with the available support.

Grandpa Needs New Socialization Opportunities

Is your loved one spending more time alone lately? Maybe you notice they aren’t driving as much or they don’t want to get out of their house as often. More time spent alone could be a reason to talk to your loved one about senior living. Not only do friends make our lives more fun, but studies show that they can also make our lives longer. Senior living communities are a great place to make new friends and form new relationships. If your loved one is craving community, schedule a senior living community tour to see what the social scene is like!

You Need the Ability to Plan Ahead

If you and your family member have started to talk about planning for their future, you might consider bringing senior living into that conversation. Planning before the need for additional care or support can help transitions feel less intimidating and rushed. Take the time to discuss what your loved one wants for their future and how you can support their wishes. When would they start thinking about moving into senior living? What are they looking for in a community? Senior living can help your family member build their retirement on their own terms, so next time planning for the future comes up, consider discussing different senior living options.

If you or a loved one is considering senior living and wants to learn more, check out our “Where to Begin” web page to help walk you through important steps in the senior living journey and Tips on How to Have That Conversation.