As your loved one grows old, it may become increasingly difficult for you to take care of them. One of the best ways that you can take care of a loved one is by sending them to live at an assisted living center. Assisted living centers have some fantastic amenities and services that can make your elderly loved one's twilight years some of the best of their life.
Dementia and Alzheimer's Care
Assisted living facilities are one of the best options for those that are suffering from the onset of dementia or Alzheimer's. A great deal of these centers have specialized in-house programs that focus on degenerative memory disorders. Most of these programs focus on procedural or habitual memory and instilling a focused routine into the daily life of your loved one. This means helping them develop the wherewithal to provide hygiene care for themselves, such as brushing their own teeth and hair and diminishing the frustration and agitation that arises from the inability to recovery a memory.
Animal Companionship
Many assisted living centers offer the privilege of animal residence. There are usually some restrictions on this issue, however. Most centers require a specialized meeting with the pet in question in order to determine how amiable their behavior is and how well they would integrate into the fabric of the residence's social life. Some centers have some weight and height restrictions on pets, such as not allowing in any dog over the size of 20 lbs. All assisted living centers must make exceptions for guide animals, however.
Diversity Options
There are assisted living centers that are tailor made for your loved one's cultural or religious practices. For example, if your loved one is Jewish, there are many centers that cater to specifically to the needs of a Jewish individual, such as weekly Shabbat plans and food that is oriented towards a kosher diet. In addition to religious orientations, you can find any number of centers that are mainly dedicated to cultural practices and languages. Some centers throughout the country, for example, are dedicated specifically to elderly individuals who exclusively speak Chinese.
Making the decision to send your loved one to an assisted living home might seem like a difficult one. However, as you have seen, assisted living homes have much to offer your loved one and are often associated with quality care. It is highly recommended that you do a bit of research into the assisted living facilities close to your home.
