Assisted Living near London, ON

Assisted Living in London, ON

If you have an aging loved one who has reached a point in life where they need help with daily activities, the time has come to make a hard choice: do they move in with you so you can take care of them, or do you consider other options, such as assisted living? Although you may wish to care for your loved one yourself, it can be difficult to manage with a full-time job and a family of your own. Assisted living is a great choice because it gives seniors the freedom to live in their own apartment, but still has dedicated staff members on hand to help with activities as needed. In addition, your loved one will have a supportive community where they get to meet new people and develop lasting relationships. That support helps smooth out the transition from living on their own to assisted living life.

Living in London, ON

London is one of the best places to live in Ontario because it's got the best of two worlds. On the one hand, it is affordable, safe, clean, and the people are friendly; all small-town qualities that people fed up with big cities go to find. On the other hand, London excels at business opportunities, healthcare, entertainment options, and the public transit system; all big-city qualities that attract younger, successful types. Somehow, London manages to marry the two sides of its city into one culture that defies categorization. It's a great place for seniors to come experience the upside of assisted living.

What You Should Know

When you and your loved one start looking into assisted living, there are some questions you should ask before choosing a community. First, find out if the community is secure. Although it is rare for an assisted living community to experience issues with external crime, it's not entirely unheard of, so it's important to ensure your loved one will be safe. Next, ask about the staff's training and certification, and how long they've been with the facility. Another important piece of information is the staff to patient ratio. You want to know this for both day and night hours. Find out what medical services are available, and how often families are updated about their loved one's well-being. Most seniors in assisted living don't need a lot of medical care, and if they do, the director may suggest you consider a nursing home. However, some seniors might need medication services. Finally, learn what the discharge policy is, just in case your loved one's health declines and they need more care later on. Once you have an answer to these questions, you can start comparing apple to apples as you look at different communities.

Find the Right Assisted Living Community

When it comes to finding the right assisted living community, it's important to keep your loved one's preferences in mind. It's easy for family members to choose a community that suits them rather than their senior loved one, which can cause problems for seniors after moving in. To begin, make a list of the features and amenities your loved one wants in a community. Let them be a part of the decision-making process to ensure their buy-in when you ultimately decide on a community. With your list, start visiting communities and making sure the culture of the facility fits your loved one's personality. Be sure your loved one is comfortable with the space they would live in, the staff, the food, and the planned activities. Even if the community seems perfect on the surface, if your loved one doesn't like it, then you'd do well to consider another one.

Making the Move

After deciding on an assisted living community, the next step is making the move from their current home to the community. Keep in mind that this isn't always an easy task, and it can be quite emotional for your loved one. When a senior has lived their entire adult life in one house, they probably have too much stuff to take with them. That means they'll have to downgrade their belongings to make the move. It will be hard for them to finish this step without the support and encouragement of loved ones because their home is comprised of things that made up their entire life. Parting with their belongings can be difficult and emotional. Try to be patient with your loved one during this transition, and let them process it at their own speed.

Assisted living is the preferred choice for many seniors who need assistance because it gives them the chance to live on their own while still receiving any assistance they need. When the time comes for you to consider additional help for your loved one, it might be beneficial to look into assisted living communities. The key to making the transition easier for your loved one is to keep their preferences in mind, and to include them in the decision-making process.