There are signs that indicate it’s probably time to approach the subject of assisted living with your parents — social isolation, falls, forgotten medication, unsanitary conditions, anxiety — but why wait until they need around-the-clock assistance?

Many families wait until they experience a crisis or an unplanned event that forces them to make last-minute care arrangements. But what are your parents missing out on if they wait until they absolutely have to move?

There are many advantages to assisted living and proactively searching for the right fit can be very beneficial for everyone involved. Here’s a look at five reasons why you shouldn’t wait to check out assisted living. (Worried it might be too late? Here are the warning signs that indicate it’s already time to move.)

1. Your Parents Can Make New Friends

Growing up, your parents had plenty of opportunities to meet new people — from school and sports to work and community organizations. As your parents age and transition into a new phase of life, they might find it more difficult to maintain their social relationships. Whether your dad is no longer working or your mom is living at home alone, social isolation and loneliness are associated with a higher risk of mortality in adults.

In assisted living, residents can easily socialize with peers, not only in common areas but also through planned, structured activities like field trips, dancing, and cultural events. Whether it’s having coffee and playing cards with friends, joining an exercise class, participating in a special interest club, sharing a skill with others, doing volunteer work, or hopping on a bus to see an art museum or a baseball game, people have plenty of opportunities to interact and feel like they’re part of a vibrant community.

2. Five-Star Chefs Make the Food

Studies have shown that eating alone is associated with a host of unhealthy traits, including loneliness, social isolation, and unhealthy food choices including inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption. That’s why it’s so important to ensure your loved one isn’t eating alone.

In assisted living, residents can enjoy a fine-dining experience every day of the week. Not only are the meals tailored to the changing health needs of older adults, but eating becomes fun again. When your loved one eats and socializes with others, they are able to handle and manage their emotions and stress better. Plus, sharing meals brings people together and makes them close, so it won’t be long before your parents have a new circle of friends.

3. Life Has Purpose Again

As your parent ages, things change. Some of their previous interests and activities may be more difficult or even become impossible to do, and they may be losing friends and family or experiencing chronic health problems. All of this can lead to the profound and prolonged sense of sadness, hopelessness, and despair known as depression.

Assisted living can help decrease depression in older adults by helping them find a sense of purpose. They can join a committee (or start one), guide a new resident through their acclimation process, take a class, or even teach one. When they feel needed, when their presence is expected somewhere, they are less likely to become depressed.

4. Time Can Be Spent on Things They Enjoy

Keeping up a home is hard, especially for seniors. The American Time Use Survey, released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, shows the general population spends about one hour and 44 minutes each day on activities such as food preparation, gardening, and general housework. However, adults between 65 and 74 spend about two hours and 32 minutes doing so. In between mowing the lawn, pulling weeds, and vacuuming, there’s not much time left for pursuing things they enjoy.

In assisted living, laundry and housekeeping services are typically provided, which means your parent will have more time to take part in a wide variety of activities that are generally offered on-site or on excursions or day trips off-site. Among the various activities that assisted living communities provide are plenty of chances for lifelong learning, from computer classes to book clubs to art classes. By participating, they may develop new hobbies or refocus on an old one.

5. You Get Peace of Mind

As your parents age, it's not uncommon to visit often to keep an eye on them, but life can get in the way. With a career, family, or other responsibilities, it can be a juggling act to balance the changing needs of a loved one with other things.

In an assisted living setting, there are staff members like caretakers, nursing staff, wait staff, and activity directors who see them daily. It’s their job, in one way or another, to care for your loved one. If Mom or Dad experience a slight change in attitude, appetite or social inclinations, they’ll notice. Having people around to notice the warning signs of these changes allows them to intervene quickly and help your parent live a life of purpose and fulfillment — and you get peace of mind.

There’s a reason so many seniors wish they would have made the move sooner. In addition to making new friends, enjoying a fine dining experience without having to step foot in the kitchen, and taking up an old (or new) hobby, considering assisted living before you absolutely have to allows you to take advantage of more that’s offered while potentially preventing health declines or a hasty decision.

Want to know more? Download our eBook Signs It’s Time to Start the Search for Assisted Living.