How Do You Know It’s Time to Put Your Parent in a Nursing Home?

It may be time to put your parent in a nursing home when they can no longer physically care for themselves and it is not safe living at home without 24/7 help. Other signs include chronic health conditions that require professional oversight or instances of hospital stays due to falls.

Older adults often require multiple medications to treat more than one medical condition. An elderly parent can easily become forgetful and confused by taking multiple pills and proper dosages at the correct times. Moving your parent into a nursing home provides your loved one with professional medication management. Even if you or a home care aide have been helping with your parent’s daily living tasks, they spend significant time alone and are vulnerable to falls and mishaps, particularly at night when accidents often happen.

In addition to the signs mentioned above, other considerations can help you determine the appropriate time for nursing home care. Whether your parent lives with you or you’re helping them in their home, the stresses of daily care can set in over time. At some point, you may find it too physically demanding to lift your loved one or transfer them from one setting to another without help. Your physical, emotional and mental health are at risk when the demands of caregiving become overwhelming.

It’s time to look into nursing home care for your parent when these additional signs become apparent:

• Walking or moving around the home is difficult.
• Your loved one isn’t eating well or is losing weight.
• They exhibit dementia, increased verbal outbursts, aggressive behaviors, dangerous wandering and personality changes.
• Bills aren’t being paid and household maintenance is neglected.
• They neglect hygiene and other daily living tasks.