How Do I Know When It's Time for Assisted Living?

There's rarely one clear signal -- it's usually a pattern. Watch for missed medication doses, a noticeable decline in home cleanliness or personal hygiene, unopened mail or unpaid bills piling up, weight loss from skipped meals, a fall or near-fall, or increasing isolation. Any single item might have an innocent explanation; several happening together over a few months is a stronger signal. Trust family members who visit less often -- they sometimes notice changes that people who see a parent daily have adjusted to gradually and stopped seeing clearly. If you're weighing a specific recent event, our guide on what to do after a fall or recognizing worsening memory can help you sort out whether it's a turning point.