Senior living options for couples have grown along with the US population, as it continues to age and have a rising life expectancy.
In life, there are only so many things that are more precious than the time we get, and that is who we choose to spend it with. For senior couples, this could be almost a lifetime of memories. The growth not just their relationship over the years, but of the family and legacy they will leave behind.
There comes a time when the decision to transition to a senior living community could mean the difference between better happiness and health.
For Better or Worse
It is inevitable that as we age, our health takes its course of decline. In senior couples, one can be in better health than the other. Reminding one another to take their pills, motivating each other to get a daily walk in, and preparing more heart healthy meals for one another are some key ways the aging category of couples look after each other.
But what happens when a more serious condition surfaces? Your wife, holding her purse, suddenly seems to show confusion as to where she put her wallet. You tell her multiple times it’s in the purse, but she is still repeating the question.
Picture the husband, long time most trusted auto repairman and driver in the family, suddenly forgets the route to get to your favorite grocery store. When familiar facts become confusing realities, it’s scary for the one trying to work through the memory loss, but also the opposing side.
It isn’t easy watching the one you love most show a side that makes them seem like a different person.
Home Care
In the beginning of memory loss, and after the initial diagnosis of beginning stages of Alzheimer’s or dementia, it can be manageable to provide care at home. Every individual is different however, and the progression of the different stages of Alzheimer’s or dementia can vary.
Keeping a close eye on your loved one and making them as comfortable as can be is the first priority, and for some, keeping them in the home is what they believe is the best way to achieve that. But what if the spouse is wandering, and struggling with normal daily function and risky behavior such as forgetting to turn the stove off becomes the norm?
It gets to the point where a choice needs to be made. The spouse in a senior couple coping with memory loss can only continue being the primary caretaker, before caregiving becomes too much.
Several options for in-home care aides exist, but the cost of these services isn’t always affordable, and their availability isn’t always 24/7.
Transitioning to a Senior Living Community Together
If a loved one struggles to maintain and care for their spouse with memory loss, they’ll most likely emphasize an unwillingness to leave their significant other. They made a vow, in sickness and in health, right?
But what if it’s putting the health of both in jeopardy? It may be time to make a decision on whether moving to a senior living community would be the best solution. The worry of being separated is often what pushes off the decision for senior living options for couples.
This worry is justified and understandable. The thought of going from spending every day with someone we love to the opposite, is one that many don’t want to see as their reality.
The Kensington Welcomes and Honors the Uniqueness of All Couples
So what exactly happens when one half of a senior couple needs memory care, but the other half only needs assisted living? If one half needs more care than the other, there is no need to worry, because The Kensington works to keep couples together.
At The Kensington, our promise to love and care for your family as we do our own. We match our exceptional level of care with compassion. We believe senior couples who have made so many memories together – sometimes spanning a lifetime – should have those as best preserved as possible. We will do what we can to help make them feel at home, and together.
If lifestyle and care needs are not the same, we will do everything in our power to preserve the familiarity of comforting routines and favorite pastimes they shared together as one.
If you are interested in more information on how The Kensington supports senior couples, feel free to reach out with any questions you have. We would love to hear your loved ones’ story, and let you know what we can do to help.
Further Reading:
Memory loss is life changing for all involved. At The Kensington, we provide a state-of-the-art memory care program, a higher staff-to-resident ratio than industry standards, and more advanced care services. Our promise is to love and care for your family as we do our own.
For additional resources regarding your loved one’s condition, please read on about our Memory Care, Alzheimer’s Care and Dementia Care.