by Candy Cohn, CSA®
Candy Cohn’s father was in his late 80s when he unintentionally stopped taking his medication for bipolar disorder. During this time, he experienced a significant mental health crisis that resulted in hospitalization and intensive treatment.
After this episode, Candy came to the realization that her aging parents needed more support, medication management and opportunities for a better quality of life, so she began the journey of finding the right senior living community to meet their needs and lifestyle.
The search for the right senior living community is difficult and often overwhelming for most seniors and their families. However, when a senior is living with a mental health condition such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, it can become even more challenging to find a community that feels like home. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 20% of seniors over the age of 55 are living with a mental health condition, the most common being anxiety, depression, mood disorders, and severe cognitive impairment. Because of this factor, it is vital that you know all of your options when it comes to searching for a senior living community.
Although it can be challenging, it is possible for a senior living with a mental health condition to find a community that provides the support and compassion that they require. Your local Oasis Senior Advisor is dedicated to making the transition to senior living as smooth and comfortable as possible. Oasis’ Certified Senior Advisors ® have vetted nearby communities so that you don’t have to, and you can trust that safety, health, quality of life and dignity are among every Oasis advisor’s top priorities.
Today, Candy is the owner of Oasis Senior Advisors South Florida. She recently shared her father’s story and her expertise on the Center for Mental Health and Aging’s podcast, the Psychology of Aging. Listen to her story here https://bit.ly/3qEDMHR.
If your senior loved one is living with a mental health condition, Oasis Senior Advisors is here with the information you need to help you make even the most difficult decisions regarding their care. Together, we can discuss the level of care needed, and enable you to select the most appropriate and safest option and determine the best way to make the transition into a senior living community, where your loved one will receive the additional support and care that they need. To contact your local senior advisor, call (888) 455-5838.
