Make all the Right Moves: What You Need to Know Before Moving a Loved One to Senior Living

Feb 23, Alissa Sauer

Deciding it’s time to move a loved one to senior living can feel intimidating, overwhelming, and just plain hard. At Empress Senior Living at Laurelhurst, we know that aging has its challenges. But as a Leisure Care community, our goal is to create an environment where the rewards of aging greatly outnumber the drawbacks. This sense of optimism—coupled with our unique focus on the wellness of the mind, body, and spirit—shows up in every detail of the everyday.

We believe that today’s older adults aren’t wrapping up their life’s journey, they’re seeking a new one. And Empress Senior Living is here to inspire them to embrace joy and purpose in their lives. For nearly 50 years, we’ve been reimagining and reinventing senior living, making sure older adults have the most fulfilling, rewarding, and productive opportunities possible.

But, how do you know when a loved one needs to make the move to assisted living? Here are some signs that it’s time to start a new chapter and enter a new age of senior living.

When is it Time for Senior Living? 

Recognizing when it’s the right moment to make this transition involves a careful reflection on various factors – from changes in health and daily activities to social well-being and overall quality of life.

1. Feelings of isolation or loneliness

More than just occasional loneliness, isolation and chronic loneliness can lead to severe health issues for many seniors. A lack of community can cause depression linked to chronic health issues such as dementia and heart disease, lead to unhealthy behaviors like smoking or abusing prescription medication, and even an increased risk of mortality.

2. A decline in health and increase in frailty

According to the AARP, more than 70 million Americans aged 50 and older have at least one chronic medical condition. With age, these chronic conditions require more care and the potential for a chronic health crises only increases. It’s better for a senior to be in a care community prepared to prevent (and handle, if necessary) a crisis.

3. Financial mismanagement

Seniors often find they can not keep up with piling bills, online payments, and more with age. Noticing unpaid bills, an increase in collectors, and a growing pile of debt may indicate it is time to make the move to assisted living. Seniors living on their own can also fall prey to financial scams that can put their retirement savings at risk.

4. Hoarding

Hoarding is more than just collecting a lifetime of memories. It’s dangerous, can increase the likelihood of falls and affects seniors between the ages of 55 and 95 three times more than adults between the ages of 34 and 44. Hoarding can block first responders in an emergency, create a fire hazard, and even cause disease from unsanitary living conditions.

5. Poor hygiene

Cleanliness is crucial to overall health and wellness. Aging can make some seniors afraid to bath as nearly 80% of falls occur in the bathroom. Infrequent bathing and laundry, messy hair, dirty nails, and bad body odor all may indicate it’s time to seek assisted living.

Why is Moving to Senior Living Better for Senior Health?

These are all telltale signs that it’s time to consider moving. However, you do not have to wait for these signs to make the move. Finding the right community is time-intensive and you need to be prepared to make the move when the time comes. These 8 benefits to senior living can help you and your loved ones look forward to your next chapter. Get ready – it’s going to be a good one.

1. Prevent Social Isolation 

Seniors living alone are at a higher risk for social isolation and increased feelings of loneliness and depression. In senior living, seniors live in a community environment with friends and staff encouraging participation in social events. Empress Senior Living has a dynamic and diverse activity calendars with the opportunity for residents to take up new hobbies, join a new fitness class, and even travel to a part of the world they have never seen.

Seniors who move in to Empress have every opportunity to plug in quickly, make new friends, know staff members by name, and feel connected to a larger community of people who are in the same life chapter. Moving to senior living earlier can help seniors avoid these feelings of isolation that can lead to chronic loneliness, bringing increased physical health and overall wellness.

2. 24/7 Professional and Compassionate Care 

Residents in senior living often need help with activities of daily living, which includes dressing, bathing, hygiene, medication assistance, and more. Leisure Care communities offer around the clock care to ensure that needs are being met as they arise and each resident is receiving the attention they need and deserve. Every staff member is well-trained to provide the care residents need in a way to protects privacy and promotes dignity.

Care services are provided a la carte so that each resident receives the care services he or she needs, when needed. Care plans are regularly reviewed so that the appropriate level of care is being provided at each stage of aging. No matter if it’s managing a complex medication schedule, choosing an outfit a day of shopping, or an escort to today’s yoga class, the staff at our assisted living communities are standing by to help.

The care provided in Empress empowers seniors to thrive, to pursue new passions, and to create the retirement of their dreams.

3. A Focus on Independence and Fun 

While Empress is a great place to receive customized care services, assistance is provided with an eye on independence and fun – ensuring residents are doing what they can when they can. We know that fun is an important component of aging well and our communities have a variety of ways of providing that fun. Think of senior care like the background to your life. It enables you to live more carefree, more confidently, and with more FUN!

We are always here to lend a helping hand by providing assistance or by joining residents for a meal or an evening stroll.

4. More Free Time

It’s time to put aside the housework, yard work, and home maintenance. For many seniors, the burden of home ownership is possible – it’s just annoying. We know that seniors have better things to do than shovel snow, mow the lawn, and clean their house.

Life at Empress is hassle-free. Residents don’t have to worry about the cleaning, the cooking, the shoveling. It’s our pleasure to work for each of our residents, allowing them to catch up on a reading list, plan a trip across the ocean, find a new hobby, or invest more time into a lifelong interest. Making the move to assisted living means doing more of what you love.

5. Delicious Meals 

Healthy residents are happy resident and meals in assisted living are specifically created to benefit senior health. Cooking for yourself by yourself can grow challenging. With nutritious meals prepared by talented chefs, residents in these communities enjoy delicious meals that are not only good for health but taste good too. Also, elegant dining rooms encourage meal times with friends, making each dinner not just a meal but a fun social event.

Invite friends and family members to enjoy a meal with you or celebrate a special milestone with loved ones in one of our private dining areas. Moving into assisted living allows you to celebrate the every day often.

6. Readily Available and Safe Transportation 

When driving becomes unsafe, or car ownership becomes too much of a hassle, assisted living communities offer reliable transportation to local shopping, dining, events, and doctor appointments. No more shoveling the car out of snow, de-icing the windshield, or driving through heavy rains. Trusted transportation gets residents where they need to go when they need to go.

Avoid a dangerous situation, or just the hassle of home ownership, by moving into senior living. Let our staff to get you where you need to go on time.

7. An Investment in the Future 

A move into senior living is a move into a lifestyle that promotes healthy senior living and opens up a plethora of options for the future if needs should change over time. Each resident has an individualized, custom care plan that is regularly evaluated by a medical team, ensuring that any change in health is noticed as it happens, resulting in early diagnosis and, inevitably, better treatment options.

8. Peace of Mind

All of these benefits work together to create the ultimate benefit: peace of mind. Friends and family of residents rest easy, knowing their loved one is being well cared for in a home-like environment where their needs are seen. Seniors themselves rest easier too, with the knowledge that they have a family in their community who is there for them, cheering for them, and helping make the most of every day.

Welcome to a New Age of Senior Living! 

Welcome to a new age of senior living. Welcome home to Empress Senior Living at Laurelhurst! A move into senior living is smart from a physical, emotional, mental, and financial standpoint. Contact Empress today to schedule your tour!