TL;DR

Moving from assisted living to a nursing home depends on care needs, not age. Key signs include increased medical requirements, bedridden status, safety challenges, or memory decline. Nursing homes provide specialized care, safety protocols, and memory support to ensure quality of life when assisted living no longer suffices.

  • Assisted living offers comfort and support but may not meet evolving care needs.
  • Transition if medical needs require professional nursing or specialized equipment.
  • A bedridden lifestyle is better supported in nursing homes with in-room care.
  • Greater safety concerns may necessitate stricter protocols.
  • Memory issues like dementia or Alzheimer’s need specialized memory care units.
  • Gardens of Sun City provides assisted living and nursing care transitions with personalized support.

One of the best perks of assisted living is the support it offers seniors with a range of needs and limitations. No two assisted living communities will ever offer the same list of amenities. However, each is designed to offer comfort, convenience, and support for activities of daily living.

However, sometimes those requirements grow greater than the community may provide. If you are noticing you or a loved one needs support that your assisted living community simply can’t offer, take note. It may, in fact, be time to consider an upgrade in care level.

While some may wonder at what age do people move to nursing homes, the answer is more nuanced. Specifically, it is about a need for support rather than a particular number.

In this guide, we will touch on the signs for when to move from assisted living to a nursing home. Remember, assisted living and nursing care are at-will and non-compulsory. Looking at these signs with clear eyes will help ensure you’re getting the care and support you need.

Here are the ways your quality of life in a nursing home can meet your needs:

Medical Needs Have Changed

Assisted living communities are amazing at assisting with activities of daily living. They are designed to help with semi-medical support such as medication management, bathing, toileting, etc. However, they are not hospitals. As such, they do not generally offer intensive medical or nursing care by the on-site staff.

If you or a loved one requires more involved medical interventions, an assisted living community may not be enough. Instead, it may be wise to consider a move from assisted living to a nursing home.

At a nursing home, the staff are trained and qualified to offer a range of medical services to residents. Here, medical care is always close at hand.

Similarly, nursing homes will more readily come equipped with medical devices. This could include medical-grade beds, vital monitoring, and more. If your medical needs require specialized equipment, a nursing home transition may be in the cards. And in truth, it may be a better fit for this new lifestyle.

A Bedridden Lifestyle

Assisted living communities are designed to help physically and mentally support their residents. However, there is an assumption of at least some kind of able-bodiedness in these communities. Residents are encouraged to join their community at meals, programming, events, and more.

If you or a loved one has become bedridden, an assisted living community may not be for you. So much of the community’s features, from gatherings to programming, are offered communally. Your private room, after all, isn’t intended for happy hour or game night.

Nursing homes are better equipped to support patients who cannot leave their beds. This includes convenience features being delivered bedside, in-room meal service, Hoyer lift availability, and more. Consider a nursing home transition if any of this sounds relevant to you or your loved one.

Safety is Becoming More Challenging

In old age, safety can evolve from mere medication management to locational support. It’s an evolving process, to be sure. And it’s one in which assisted living may eventually not be enough for certain patients.

Nursing homes can offer a more rigorous safety and security protocol for all residents. These are designed as medical-first residences, after all. But with an extra layer of safety to rely on, residents and families alike can breathe a sigh of relief.

Memory Issues

Assisted living offers support for a variety of physical limitations. However, it is not designed to offer memory care for dementia patients.

Nursing homes with memory care units are better equipped to keep confusion down and to keep residents safe. These settings are also equipped with the specialized programming and enrichment tuned specifically for dementia management. They also offer a superior quality of life in a nursing home when compared with assisted living.

If your loved one is showing signs of dementia or Alzheimer’s, assisted living may not be enough. Instead, a skilled nursing home setting might be better for their needs.

Discover the Care You Need

Adjusting to nursing home life can be a challenge. At the Gardens of Sun City, we make it painless to transition with ease.

Here, we welcome a variety of elderly residents with an engaged and supportive community. From quality assisted living options to more involved memory care, our team is equipped for your needs.

We are also always auditing our residents’ needs. This is designed to ensure the level of care we provide is a match for our residents’ unique requirements. Whenever an increase in care is needed, we can help identify the best path forward.

If you want the best setting for your eldercare, the Gardens of Sun City in Arizona may be it. We invite you to tour our happy community to decide for yourself.

Learn more about our assisted living facility here.