Short Term Stays in Assisted Living

When Jenny was taking care of her elderly father, acting as his primary caregiver, she never thought twice about the situation. He was widowed, living alone, and suffered a major medical emergency. Living in the same town, it only made sense for her to step up and support him.

Yet, what she thought would be a few weeks or a couple of months, at best, continued well over a year. She had sacrificed almost everything imaginable to be there when he needed support, which was multiple times every day.

She never thought about the topic of assisted living. She didn’t think he would want to consider it and, since she was there already, there didn’t seem to be a point to it. Yet, the longer this went on for, the more the stress was impacting her everyday life. She was getting completely worn out.

Then, one afternoon, Jenny received a phone call with more bad news. Another family member, who didn’t live all that close, was in the hospital now, too. She needed to go out and visit, possibly for several days or a couple of weeks.

She didn’t know much about elder care, but she understood there were plenty of options available. However, one of her close friends mentioned short-term stays at a local assisted living facility.

 

She never realized that was possible at assisted living.

Because she never had a lot of information about elder care previously, she simply assumed assisted living was for long-term or permanent stays. She thought it was something her father would have to commit to, sell his home, and not be able to look back or have other options afterward.

She thought her coworker was wrong, but she had to find out for sure. This would be, in her mind, the perfect solution to this problem. Not only would she feel confident her father was in good hands, surrounded by staff 24 hours a day, every day of the week, but she would also be able to feel less stressed constantly worrying about him.

 

The assisted living facility she contacted did offer short-term stay options.

They referred to this as respite care services, either for the senior or his or her primary family caregiver. He would be able to stay at this specific facility for a couple of weeks. To her, it was all she needed.

In the past, her father had dismissed any idea about assisted living, just that she had, but because it was only for a couple of weeks, he seemed comfortable with the option.

She called to check in on him daily, and half the time it seemed he wasn’t around to answer the phone. When she picked him up, he expressed his appreciation for everything she had done for him and to see him again, but also interested in making this transition more permanent.

A quality assisted living facility that provides short-term stay options can be great for family caregivers in a bind, but it can also be a wonderful way to show seniors the benefits this elder care option provides.

If you or an aging loved-one is considering a move to Assisted Living in Troon North, AZ please contact the caring staff at MD Senior Living today. 480-267-9200