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“I Waited Too Long” – Five Key Detriments to Putting Off Your Senior Living Move

The maintenance-free lifestyle that makes senior living appealing offers endless benefits for both seniors and caregivers. Still, there are many reasons why older adults put off making a move. Financial concerns, hesitation to adopt a new lifestyle, denial of health and safety needs, or simply a mindset that senior living is for “old people” can strongly influence a prospective resident’s move-in timeline.

While holding off on a senior living move for the right reasons is understandable, it can be detrimental to some seniors' health and well-being. In this article, we’ll uncover a few unexpected ramifications of delaying a senior living move when the option is within reach.

 

“I’m Just Not Ready”

Any senior living counselor will tell you that simply because an individual tours a senior living community doesn’t mean they think of themselves as old. A prospective resident might “feel” old, have the occasional aches and pains, and desire less responsibility and more leisure but still believe they aren’t “old enough” for a senior living move. Why? Comments commonly voiced below suggest why some seniors put off a move:

  • “I’m still driving.”
  • “I can manage most things myself.”
  • “I’m too young.”
  • “I need to sell my house first.”
  • “I don’t have any health issues.”
  • “I’m more independent than others my age.”
  • “My family is overreacting about my need for support.”

While some of these sentiments are likely true, they fail to consider the reality of change. “What’s wrong with waiting?” is an honest question, and each person has different answers. But when an older adult waits too long to make a needed move, they slowly begin to sacrifice the benefits of moving in the first place.

 

“I Waited Too Long”

Those who chose to delay their move often confess, “I waited too long!” or “I wish I moved sooner.” These emotions are usually the result of changes taking place over time as care needs increase, social circles shrink, and family members feel the strain of increasing responsibilities from caregiving.

For seniors living alone at home, waiting to make a move, the opportunity to socialize and experience a sense of community can decline. Motivation to stay physically and mentally active can also wane, leading to changes in mobility or cognitive health. Daily routines can become time-consuming or more challenging to manage, and habits like watching TV, daytime napping, avoiding household maintenance, and poor eating can become acceptable and necessary. Even family visits can become task-focused and less fulfilling.

It’s impossible to predict life’s changes, but if you’re putting off a move to senior living until a crisis occurs or your health or independence is compromised, you may want to think again. Here’s why…

 

Five Key Detriments to Putting Off Your Senior Living Move

  1. Compromised Independence

Many older adults believe that delaying a move to senior living will prolong their independence, but often, the opposite is true. Over time, many seniors struggle to maintain regular physical activity habits, forgetting the “use it or lose it” mantra. Some may find that caring for themselves and their home requires more time and more challenging work. These individuals spend their energy and effort maintaining their life at home – with minimal benefits, rather than enjoying the maintenance-free lifestyle of senior living and its services and amenities. For some, this comes at the expense of their independence, gradually resulting in mobility changes, decreased motivation, and unhealthy choices, making it more challenging to enjoy the full array of senior living benefits once they finally decide to move.

  1. Increased Health Risks

Managing daily medication schedules and refills, maintaining a safe home environment, and coordinating personal care and other healthcare needs can be overwhelming as we age. It’s common for older adults living alone at home to experience frequent falls, illnesses, infections, and complications from chronic conditions, which can result in unexpected hospital visits, rehab stays, early memory loss, and other issues.

These inconvenient and difficult transitions are challenging for both seniors and their caregivers and can be physically and emotionally distressing, triggering additional health concerns. Seniors and their families must then coordinate essential home and healthcare services independently. This creates another layer of responsibility for the caregiver, which could otherwise be managed by senior living staff and/or their healthcare partners. Families must also consider their loved one’s level of social interaction, which can further impact mental, emotional, and cognitive health.

  1. Social Isolation

Social networks can shrink rapidly as we age and trigger feelings of depression, anxiety, and a growing sense of loss - loss of community, friendships, independence, mobility, and purpose. Research confirms that human connection is essential to maintaining health and well-being as we age. In fact, these daily interactions with others may significantly impact our longevity more than habits like exercising or even smoking! Putting off a senior living move can deprive a loved one of important social bonds that keep them thriving and connected to meaningful relationships and shared experiences.

  1. Limited Availability, Rate Changes

Many individuals don’t anticipate changes in the community when putting off a senior living move. For instance, availability can change rapidly depending on the season and the surrounding market. Apartments or residences that were once available may now be subject to a waiting list or converted to accommodate a different level of care, with highly sought-after models more challenging to secure.

Additionally, while it’s common for rental and service rates to increase by a small amount each year, those rate changes can seem more significant when delaying a move 3-5 years or more after the initial tour. If a prime location, floor plan, or ideal layout is important to you, placing a deposit to reserve the apartment is often the only way to ensure your preferred residence.

  1. Difficulty Downsizing

Downsizing from the family home can be an emotionally taxing process requiring much effort. Often, the longer this process is delayed, the more difficult it can be to sort through things and manage the process. Those who choose to make their senior living move sooner rather than later can work through the downsizing process independently before they move. This allows time to decide what will stay and what will go, rather than leaving the process to others to manage. When a crisis or urgent need prompts a move to senior living, family members are responsible for downsizing their loved one’s home.

 

Accessing the Benefits

Delaying a senior living move when there is a need and resources to do so can add unexpected complications to a senior loved one’s transition. After overcoming the barriers to making a move, working through the downsizing process, and transitioning to a new home, seniors and their families deserve to enjoy the peace of mind and ample benefits that come with community living. Don’t sacrifice these benefits for the illusion of prolonged independence. Support your senior loved one’s desire to maximize their independence in a community setting designed for optimized health, safety, well-being, and life-enriching connection.

 

Learn more about the benefits of a senior living lifestyle and the importance of timing your senior living move by connecting with a Cardinal Bay senior care expert today! Check out our valuable free resources by subscribing to our blog or scheduling a tour at any of our independent living, assisted living, and memory care communities in Central Texas and Oklahoma. See firsthand why residents love living in our communities and wish they moved sooner.

 

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