How do I know a parent can no longer live alone safely?
Common signs are falls or near-falls, missed medications, weight loss or spoiled food, unpaid bills, getting lost while driving, and a home that has become hard to keep clean or safe.
Write down what you see and when. A pattern over several weeks is more useful to a doctor or assessor than one bad day. A geriatric assessment or a visit from a home health nurse can turn worry into a list of specific needs.
What are the options short of moving?
Options include a personal care agency for set hours, adult day care, Meals on Wheels through Salt Lake County Aging & Adult Services, an emergency response system, home modifications, and the Aging Waiver for people 65+ who need nursing-facility-level care and qualify for Medicaid.
Utah's median home care rate is about $39.25 an hour, so a few hours a week is affordable for many families; round-the-clock care is not. Adult day care costs less per hour and adds social contact.
Which kind of assisted living fits a parent who needs more help?
A parent who can still get out of a building alone in an emergency can live in either a Type I or a Type II facility; a parent who needs one person's limited help to get out needs a Type II facility, and a parent with dementia who may wander needs a Type II secure unit.
Choosing a Type II building from the start can avoid a second move later, since a Type I facility must discharge a resident who can no longer evacuate alone. That is a judgment call: Type I homes can be quieter and less expensive.
How do we talk to a parent about moving?
Lead with the parent's goals, such as staying independent, being near grandchildren or not burdening anyone, and frame each option as a way to protect those goals rather than as a loss.
Tour with them, not for them. Let them see two or three places and choose. If they refuse a move, agree on a trial of in-home help and a date to revisit the conversation.
Who can we talk to locally?
Salt Lake County Aging & Adult Services at 385-468-3200 or Tooele County Aging Services at 435-277-2420 can explain public programs; our advisors can walk you through licensed options in your parent's part of the valley at no cost.
If you live out of state, see our guide to caring for a Utah parent from a distance.
What does a Utah assisted living assessment look at?
Utah's rule requires the resident assessment to document memory and decision-making, communication, physical functioning and daily activities, continence, mood and behavior, weight loss, medication use and the ability to self-medicate, special treatments, relevant diagnoses, interests, and assistive devices.
Knowing the list helps you prepare: bring a written summary of each area, including the things a proud parent may downplay in an interview. The assessment is signed by a licensed health care professional and decides whether the facility can admit your parent under its license.
At a glance
| Helpful first steps | Common missteps | |
|---|---|---|
| Needs | Write down what help is needed and when | Choosing a building before knowing the needs |
| License | Match needs to Type I, Type II or a secure unit | Assuming every assisted living can keep a parent as needs grow |
| Family | Tour together and agree on a trial | Deciding for a parent without them |
Sources include Utah Admin. Code R432-270, Utah DHHS and DLBC pages, Salt Lake County and DAAS pages, CareScout and VA rate tables as cited above; see our editorial standards.
