Many families struggle with the reality of their parents getting older. As their abilities change, so does your confidence in them. Someone who used to take care of their property themselves, pay everything on time, and meet everyone for dinner with no trouble at all now seems unsteady. When observing these activities of daily living, Michigan families often seek more than a diagnosis. They need a way to help their parents get through the day.
Many seniors can maintain their independence with just a little guided help with their activities of daily living (ADLs). At The Courtyard at Sterling Heights, the assisted living and memory care teams help families recognize signs that their senior loved one’s ADLs could affect their independence, offer guidance on how to help, and discuss available care options. Here’s a guide to ADLs for Michigan families, including what they are and how you can recognize the signs that your senior loved one may need more help.
What Are Activities of Daily Living?
Activities of daily living (ADLs) are the basic self-care tasks we do every day. Health professionals group these activities into six types:
- Bathing, including grooming, dental care, hair care, and other personal hygiene
- Dressing and choosing appropriate clothing for the day
- Eating and feeding oneself once a meal is prepared
- Mobility, or moving from one position to another and walking without help
- Toileting, including getting to and from the bathroom and cleaning oneself afterward
- Continence, or controlling bladder and bowel function
These six tasks form the foundation of independent living. If your parent can handle all of them on their own, they are generally well-suited to living comfortably in their own house or in an independent living community. If one or more of these tasks becomes uncertain or difficult, it’s often the earliest sign they need some level of daily support.
One issue with an ADL does not mean your parent automatically needs assisted living. But a consistent or progressing pattern of difficulty can indicate a need for a change.
Understanding Instrumental Activities of Daily Living
Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) are more complex tasks related to activities of daily living. IADLs are important for living independently, but many seniors need occasional help from friends and family with these tasks while living mostly independently. Noticing one issue with an IADL is usually not a cause for alarm, but multiple issues can be the first sign of an ADL issue. IADLs can include:
- Managing medications and keeping up with daily health routines
- Preparing meals and shopping for groceries
- Handling finances and paying bills on time
- Keeping up with housekeeping and home maintenance
- Getting to appointments, errands, and social visits
- Staying connected through phone calls and other communication
IADLs differ from ADLs in the level of thinking and planning they require. These usually involve multiple tasks rather than one and often include multiple ADLs. For example, the IADL of buying groceries requires managing the ADLs of mobility, dressing, and continence.
Paying attention to both groups of activities can help families gauge how much daily living support their parent needs. Sometimes, a gentle helping hand is all they need to continue living independently. In the meantime, recognizing these signs can help families start the conversation about what comes next.
Care Options for Daily Living Support in Michigan
For example, fading eyesight can be natural and easily corrected, but one day, it may prevent them from accurately reading a prescription label. Forgetting a name or a familiar recipe may be occasional, until bills start piling up and property maintenance goes undone.
Once you know which tasks have become difficult, the next step is to match your parent with the right level of help. Families in Michigan have a few options.
Many start with family caregiving, where relatives share the burden of daily tasks. They may cook for their loved one, drive them to appointments, clean the house, and more. As their needs increase from IADLs to ADLs, family caregivers may need to start helping with bathing, dressing, eating, and medications.
Once part-time help has exceeded what family members can comfortably provide, another option may be needed. In assisted living communities, trained team members help residents with activities of daily living while giving them as much independence as they can still handle.
If your parent is showing signs of Alzheimer’s or memory loss, it may be time to move to a memory care community. The Courtyard at Sterling Heights offers both assisted living and memory care so that residents can receive specialized support for memory loss without another stressful move.
Signs It May Be Time to Consider Assisted Living
The assisted living discussion can be difficult, and many families avoid it until simple issues with daily tasks become more serious. This is understandable, since many seniors hesitate to change their living situation, and many families would prefer to provide care themselves rather than go through the moving process.
However, these signs can help you recognize when the time is right to start a serious discussion about the need for assisted living:
- Unopened mail, unpaid bills, or missed appointments piling up
- Noticeable weight loss or a frequently empty refrigerator
- Wearing the same clothes for several days or a clear decline in grooming
- Unexplained marks or bruises that may point to recent falls
- Missed medications or confusion about daily routines
- Growing isolation and fewer visits with friends and neighbors
- New or worsening signs of hygiene issues
Noticeable signs could indicate that daily living has become too much for your parent to manage alone, even with family care. An assisted living community offers consistent support to help residents retain as much independence as possible while giving families peace of mind.
Daily Living Support at The Courtyard at Sterling Heights
At The Courtyard at Sterling Heights, assisted living and memory care focus on helping each resident with daily tasks while honoring their independence. The community feels small by design to encourage a homey feeling where everyone knows each other by name and enjoys their consistent routines. Visitors often mention the central courtyard and bright, sunlit hallways. The porch is dotted with red rocking chairs for easygoing afternoons.
Residents’ days are shaped around what they need, with chef-prepared meals in the community dining area, housekeeping services, and other amenities provided on-site based on your parent’s preferences and routines. Many team members have been part of the community for over a decade, so residents and families grow to know everyone by name and trust the daily support their loved one receives.
Frequently Asked Questions
ADLs are basic self-care tasks such as bathing, dressing, eating, and toileting. IADLs are more complex tasks that support independent living, such as managing medications, preparing meals, and handling finances. A person often needs help with IADLs before they need help with basic ADLs.
Some families begin looking at assisted living when a parent struggles with one or two ADLs that affect their health, such as bathing or medication management. Others wait until several tasks become difficult. A community’s care assessment can help you decide.
Assisted living supports many daily living needs, but for parents living with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, memory care offers specialized support in a secure setting. The Courtyard at Sterling Heights provides both assisted living and memory care on one campus.
Start the conversation gently and gradually, acknowledging their misgivings. Use honest examples to figure out the help they need and the support you can provide.
Take the Next Step in Your Loved One’s Care
Families often struggle to help parents with activities of daily living, which can impact their relationship and make the situation even harder. However, families also wonder when and how to broach the subject, especially if their parent values their independence and views assistance as unnecessary.
At The Courtyard at Sterling Heights, the assisted living and memory care teams help families find the resources they need to make the right decision for their loved one’s care. Even if your family decides home caregiving is enough for now, speaking with team members can help you plan for the day that activities of daily living become too much to handle alone.
This article should not replace medical advice. Talk with your doctor regarding any issues you may experience, especially if you suspect memory loss, dementia, or Alzheimer’s.
Learn More About Life at The Courtyard at Sterling Heights
If daily living has become a challenge for your parent, our team is here to help. Contact The Courtyard at Sterling Heights to schedule a visit and see how we support residents and families every day.
