Watching your senior loved-ones age is never easy. They may struggle to get around, forget names, skip meals, and even forego personal hygiene. What do you do? What is the best choice for mom or dad? There are nursing homes, assisted living, independent living, long term elderly care, and home health care options. These choices may seem overwhelming and endless. In fact, there are hundreds of Colorado nursing homes and assisted living facilities in your own backyard.

Step back and evaluate the situation. What are the risk factors facing your senior loved ones? Many include: falling, mismanaging medications and nutritional deficiencies. Seniors are at risk... and if ignored, will end up in a dangerous situation or even in a long term senior citizen assisted living facility or a nursing home before their time.

Now's the time to gather your family, friends, and other support systems and set up a meeting.

Research the local senior living options in your area. Turn to (in this instance) the local Durango Chamber of Commerce and other social communication website(s) like... Buzztown.com, which are excellent examples to find Durango senior living facilities, senior home health care and nursing homes surrounding Durango and the Four-Corners.

Visit all of the facilities, talk with the professionals and their facility's staff members, ask a ton of questions, and evaluate the best options for your loved one. It is important to involve your senior loved-one during this process, as they will be the one receiving the ultimate care.

Keep in mind, however, the senior citizen may be reluctant to accept help or move from their home. These emotions are very common and need to be recognized.

The process from here can get "tricky" if you have determined your senior loved one needs extra help or should move to a senior care facility. Your next step is to weigh the risk factors versus their personal desires.

Trisha Kellogg

Trisha Kellogg is the customer relationship director for Sunshine Gardens Assisted Living Facilities in Durango, Colorado. She works to meet the dynamic needs of the aging from independent living to assisted living for seniors.