When Mom Can No Longer Care for Her Beloved Pet, Is Assisted Living Even an Option?

August 4, 2020 by ·

People love their pets. That’s wonderful. That’s perfectly fine. But what if your elderly mother has a beloved pet but you want her to consider assisted living? Is that still going to be possible? 

You may assume your mother is going to have to give up this pet to make a move to assisted living, but that doesn’t have to be the case. 

 

Not all assisted living facilities are the same.

Assisted Living in Mobile, AL: Assisted Living and Pets

This needs to be repeated consistently because it’s true. Each assisted living facility is different. Some may allow pets while others might not. You have to understand what the facility allows as far as pets before you begin talking to your mother about it. 

If there’s a particular assisted living facility you like, but they don’t allow pets, is there another one in the area that does? Find out more about the facilities that allow pets if this cat or dog is that important to your aging mother. 

 

What if she can’t care for it anymore? 

Perhaps your mother has reached a point where it’s difficult for her to take care of herself, let alone a pet. Would it make more sense for her to give up this animal and move to assisted living instead? 

That may very well be the case. Keep in mind that even the best assisted living facilities that allow pets will require their residents to be able to take care of those animals. 

If your mother is still able to care for this pet by feeding it, cleaning the litter box, maintaining proper water in the bowl, and so on, and the assisted living facility allows pets, there should be no reason she can’t keep it. 

However, if she has trouble with even these most basic things, that’s a burden staff are not going to be taking on. 

 

Can you still convince her to consider assisted living? 

Absolutely. Assisted living is one of the best options for aging seniors who want to maintain a high quality of life and remain active. 

If your mother’s physical abilities are diminished or her mental capacities are declining, you may be able to convince her that it’s time to find a better home for her beloved pet. 

This can certainly feel heartbreaking for many people, especially if they have become so emotionally attached to the animal, but most rational, cogent individuals recognize what the future may hold. She’ll want the best for her beloved animal and that could open the door to discussing assisted living more openly with her. 

 

If you or an aging loved one are considering Assisted Living near Mobile, AL, contact Ashbury Manor Specialty Care and Assisted Living at 251-317-3017. 

Filed Under: Assisted Living and Pets, Assisted Living in Mobile AL · Tagged: ,
About Cindy Johnson

Ashbury Manor’s Administrator since 2008, Cindy Johnson is a long-time expert in the assisted living field. Prior to her arrival at Ashbury Manor, Cindy managed acquisitions and crisis management for existing and new larger senior care project developments for eleven years. As regional manager for an Oregon-based assisted living management company, Cindy was directly responsible for operations for five 50-65 bed assisted living facilities. As manager during the transition to new ownership, Cindy reorganized internal operations and conducted leadership training for Executive Directors. As a result of her management and expertise, one of the company’s facilities (in Ocala, Florida) received a deficiency-free survey, resulting in the lifting of a moratorium on operation.

A nurse for 36 years, senior care has always been Cindy’s passion. Desiring to work more closely with residents, Cindy became a Category II Administrator in 2005. As Ashbury Manor’s Administrator, Cindy understands the complexities associated with dementia and cognitive impairment and she has fallen in love with seniors with dementia or cognitive impairment and their families.

Cindy is Treasurer of the local “Senior Coalition” chapter. She enjoys mentoring new candidates who want to become administrators.

As a 16-bed facility, with Cindy's training and experience, our residents and their families can be sure Ashbury Manor’s carefully selected staff provides the expertise of a larger facility while maintaining the individualized personal care of a small special needs home.
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