Singapore, a multiethnic country in Southeast Asia near the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula with one of the highest median incomes in the world, is undergoing a demographic shift. Today, it has one of the world's fastest aging populations, with 25% of the population expected to be aged 65 or older by 2030, compared to only 14.4% of the population in 2019.
Ever since Singapore’s government has been greatly invested in public health strategies and focuses its efforts on developing a world-class health care system. Major initiatives are aimed at mitigating the effects of an aging population and preparing for an increase in demand for healthcare services. As a result, new plans of adequate care for our cherished elderly, such as assisted living, have emerged to allow them to age in place in a supportive atmosphere.
Assisted senior living communities to provide individualized and compassionate care for the aging population in a residential setting. It provides a good balance for older people to meet their needs and accommodate their disabilities while remaining as independent as possible.
The most common services offered by assisted living communities include medication management, as well as support with toileting, clothing, and grooming. Other services such as housekeeping, meals, laundry, and transportation, as well as social programs and activities are also included. Staff is available 24/7 to ensure safety, security, support, and access to care. Privacy and your loved one's independence are, nevertheless, encouraged.
Learning the proper level of care for your aging parent and knowing when to reach out can be difficult. However, knowing these key terms such as activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) will help you do a needs assessment regarding the health of your aging loved ones.
ADLs refer to the core abilities required to care for oneself to be able to live at home and be fully independent. These are activities we initially learn as very young children, however, due to health issues and aging, the inability to perform these essential activities can lead to unsafe conditions and poor quality of life.
Basic ADLs are broken down into six main categories:
Bathing and showering
Continence
Dressing
Mobility
Feeding (excluding meal preparation)
Toileting
Each category has equal importance in the ADL chart. One point will be given for every task that is completed. The higher the score summed up for six main categories, the more independent the senior is able to live.
IADLs refer to those that require complex thinking skills such as organizational skills. These self-care tasks are typically learned during teenage years.
These include activities like:
Managing finances
Transportation
Shopping and meal preparation
Housecleaning and home maintenance
Managing communication
Managing medications
In measuring the function of older adults, geriatricians look at ADLs and IADLs. Problems with these indicators typically reflect issues with physical and cognitive health. But most importantly, we want to ensure that older adults receive the assistance and support they need, as well as help caregivers who are struggling to assist a relative that needs help.
Deciding to place a loved one in an assisted living facility is a tough decision fraught with mixed emotions of guilt, relief, anxiety, and loss. Adult children initially want to care for their parents at home which can be very challenging. However, identifying the indicators showing when is it time for assisted living is critical to your loved one's health and quality of life. There are more advantages to assisted living than simply getting a helping hand. It can improve the quality of life for the individual who needs assistance and make life easier for the primary caregiver. Listed below are 5 things assisted living can give which can help you and your family member move to your next chapter in life.
Each resident has a personalized, tailored care plan that is examined on a regular basis by medical doctors, ensuring that any changes in their own health are detected early and, inevitably, better treatment options are available.
Whether you need help in ADLs or IADLs, medical personnel are available to assist you at all hours of the day and night.
The aging population is at higher risk of loneliness and depression, but these difficulties can be addressed with assisted living. You are given with diverse activity of calendar that allows you to meet the other residents. As long as you are willing to participate, there is no issue with making new friends in assisted living communities.
Communities also allow residents to try new hobbies, join fitness classes, and even travel to different parts of the world, increasing physical health, and general well-being.
Active lifestyle programs fit for every resident are made available. With personal training sessions and group fitness classes provided, seniors in assisted living are healthier than ever before.
Everyone wants a life that is longer, healthier, and more productive. How do you know it’s time for assisted living? Here are 11 signs that could indicate the time is right.
Everyone forgets to take their medicine now and then, but if your loved one does so frequently, it will soon become a serious problem. Assisted living Singapore communities provide help with medication management to ensure ongoing compliance of our elderly to medications.
According to the AARP, more than 70 million people ages 50 years old and above have at least one of these chronic medical conditions: Alzheimer's disease (a chronic memory loss problem), dementia, and congestive heart failure. If physical and cognitive decline is a major concern, assisted living options must then be considered.
Aging-related factors such as inability to prepare meals and grocery shopping necessarily require significant effort, which can be difficult for older people to manage. This results to poor eating habits reflected by noticeable weight gain or weight loss because they’re having difficult time maintaining healthy diet. Moving to long-term aged care homes will ensure that they receive nutritious and fresh food combined with proper exercise that is tailored to their unique needs.
Seniors start to become frail as they age, making them at risk for injury or developing a severe health conditions. Furthermore, they struggle to perform daily chores. You may preserve your loved one's safety and ensure that they live the best possible life by choose assisted living.
Falling frequently and being concerned that your loved one won't be able to seek necessary care in a timely manner is one of the most concerning indicators for family members to seek help for assisted living where they can be monitored.
If your parents are neglecting their house and do not perform daily tasks to the extent that it is becoming a hazard, you should be concerned and see this as one of the warning signs that this may be the right time for assisted living.
Seniors have a harder time keeping up with their financial obligations, making them vulnerable to scammers. These schemes trap them in financially crippling situations, prohibiting them from taking care of themselves.
Changes in your senior loved one's personal hygiene, such as strange body odor, are cause for concern. Self-neglect may be the cause of poor hygiene. In addition, proper diet and nutrition are important in maintaining good mental health and physical health. However, when someone can no longer fulfill their basic needs on their own, this is a sign that it’s time for assisted living.
Seniors often find social interaction difficult, such as having a talk with family and friends, increasing the risk for depression because they can't join social events. Assisted living facilities provide a diverse range of activities and opportunities for social interactions.
The loss of interest in hobbies, whether gradual or sudden, is regarded as a primary indication of depression. If you see that your loved one is losing interest in most or all activities, it's time to investigate their lifestyle and their options for assisted living.
Giving full-time care to your loved one can sometimes lead to physical and emotional exhaustion and burnout. There's no shame in admitting that you did your best, but it's time to move to the next chapter of life. Assisted living provides residents and their many families with peace of mind while also assisting family caregivers in avoiding burnout.
Everybody wants to spend their final years in their own home, together with their own children. It's difficult to accept that sometimes it isn't achievable, especially when you want to opt for independent living. If any of these 11 signs indicate that it’s time for assisted living, know that there are attractive, nursing home care facilities with caring staff and well-trained professionals for senior care waiting to meet with you.
