Our Journey To Assisted Living

By Author: Paddy Norman
Total Articles: 101
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Moving from home to an assisted living facility is hard. It's even worse when your loved one isn't exactly thrilled about it. When I had to move my grandfather into an assisted living facility, it wasn't really what either of us wanted, but in the end it was the right choice.

I had to make my decision rather hurriedly. Juggling Granddaddy and my own young family was hard enough. When my mother was diagnosed with cancer, I suddenly had more on my plate than I could handle. I had loved having Granddaddy at home, but with my mother's medical needs I couldn't keep up. I reluctantly looked into assisted living homes nearby.

The first roadblock was distance. There were quite a few to choose from, but in my rural area the closest ones were less than ideal. The place I liked the most was about an hour away. I was really impressed with the staff, and I liked the fact that there were lots of windows and a secure outdoor area. I decided that I was willing to make the drive.

The next problem was the cost. I was surprised at the cost of assisted living, although I'm not sure why. The facility is supplying complete care, ...
... so it should logically cost a good bit. Predictably, this was far more expensive than the places I'd looked at closer to home. It was actually quite a bit more than I could handle, even with Granddaddy's VA benefits and savings paying for some of it. Thankfully I was able to get some help from an uncle.

The biggest hurdle was actually going through with it. The timing was perfect, as they happened to have a room available. As you look into assisted living, you'll discover that sometimes you have to deal with months-long waiting lists. I hated to tell Granddaddy, because I knew he wanted to be at home. His dementia was getting noticeably worse, and I was afraid that a move would send him into a tailspin. I honestly didn't have any other choice, but I was afraid and full of guilt. Thankfully, he was always easygoing. He understood that my mother was sick, although I didn't go into detail.

The assisted living home that we came to love had small individual rooms, just big enough for a twin bed and a dresser. Two rooms shared a small sitting room, which held a tv and two chairs. It was nice for him to bring some of his own furniture and belongings, and it made the transition easier.

Another thing that helped was that I wasn't working. I was able to go see him nearly every day for the next two years. I know that most people don't have that luxury, but if you can visit the assisted living home as much as possible it really does help. Ask friends and family for help. As I got to know the residents there, I saw the difference between those that have visitors and those that don't.

It didn't take long for my unhappiness to fade. When my mother was better, and I could have brought him home, Granddaddy was doing so well that we kept him there. We truly came to love the staff and other residents. It was a hard decision, but once we found our assisted living facilities it was definitely the right place to be.

If you are interested in reading more about assisted living or other senior care topics, please visit www.OurCareCommunity.com - a free resource built on the concepts of "community sourcing" and "virtual networking". The result is a forum where members pool ideas, share experiences, access the latest expert information, and find creative solutions for all their elder care needs and questions.

Contributing Editor: Julie Sanocki, CNA
Julie is a graduate of the Certified Nursing Assistant program at Lanier Technical College and has over 10 years experience in elder care. Having been a family member arranging eldercare as well as a professional providing it, she understands the needs and concerns of all involved.
For more information please visit:- senior care & assisted Living homes