Avoid Winter Wait Lists: Your Guide to the Seasonal Demand of Senior Care

The Seasonal Demand of Senior Care: Everything You Need to Know

It is heart-wrenching to come home for the holidays during the cold winter months and find your aging mother or father isn’t well. This is when most people begin the decision-making process for finding a senior care facility that can help care for their loved one’s needs. 

However, winter is when demand is highest and there are often long waiting lists. Don’t wait until it’s too late to find the best care for your loved ones—use this guide for everything you need to know about the seasonal demand of senior care and finding an ideal care facility. 

Seasonal Demand for Senior Care Increases Due to Winter Illnesses and Accidents

Winter is the time of year when there is an uptick in illnesses like the flu and pneumonia in addition to increased incidents of slip-and-fall accidents due to ice, which can result in serious injuries. This creates a greater seasonal demand for senior care. 

Every year, millions of people across the United States contract the flu during the winter, resulting in thousands of hospitalizations and deaths, most of whom are senior citizens. Additionally, according to Healthline, it is estimated that 1 million adults 65 years or over are hospitalized with pneumonia each year in the United States. 

Beyond illness, tens of millions of falls are reported among older adults each year, resulting in thousands of injuries and deaths. Most of these falls happen during the winter months when walkways become slippery due to ice. 

Depression Among Seniors During the Winter Months

Seniors are more likely to experience increased feelings of isolation and heightened emotional needs during the colder months, which can cause depression and increased stress. 

Seasonal affective disorder is another reason you don’t want to wait until you come home for the holidays to start thinking about senior care for your loved ones. This disorder is known as the winter blues and happens more often to seniors, especially if they live in areas of the country with harsh winters. 

For these reasons, it is vital to begin searching for senior care facilities before the need becomes dire. 

While there is a lot you can do to help ensure the older adults in your life are safe from illnesses and falls, eventually we all require a bit more assistance and compassionate care to keep us safe and living our best lives. 

Avoid the Waiting List 

Because winter is when most illnesses and accidents happen among senior citizens, many people only begin the decision-making process about senior care during the colder months of the year, which means there are long waiting lists for the most preferred locations. It can take several months to choose the best senior care facility, so if you want to avoid the waiting lists, we recommend meeting with a senior care consultant as soon as possible. 

At Senior Care Consulting, we have spent countless hours researching the market to help you find the ideal community for your loved one based on their needs. We conduct a geriatric care assessment to determine exactly what you need and identify your top senior community options in the Kansas City area. We tour each facility with you and put together a comprehensive guide to ensure you find the best care for your loved one.

Meeting with a trusted senior care consultant at the earliest signs that your loved one may need assistance can ensure your parents or grandparents receive the best care possible that meets their needs and lifestyles. Don’t wait—start today!

Find Proper Care for Your Loved One with Senior Care Consulting in Kansas City

At Senior Care Consulting in Kansas City, proper care for your loved one is our number one priority. As a senior care placement company, we work with you to evaluate your loved one's needs and determine how various senior living communities can meet them. We help families find the right senior care community for their elderly loved ones—know your options and choose with care when you choose Senior Care Consulting.

Put a true partner on your side in the search for senior care by calling us at (913) 945-2800 or reaching out online.