How Do I Tell A Senior It Is Time for Assisted Living?
No one likes facing difficult decisions. Telling your loved one that it is time for a move to assisted living can be one of the most difficult decisions to make. For many adult children who are facing this tough challenge, the term ‘assisted living’ brings to mind a foreign, cold, hospital-like atmosphere and fear. But it does not have to be like that. In fact, your senior will find comfort, companionship, loving care and peace in an assisted living community carefully chosen to match their requirements.
At Adult Care Advisors, we help families with aging seniors determine the best assisted living situation and adjust to the changes. When the senior in your life is clearly having difficulty with their current living situation—perhaps the stairs are too much or they have difficulty seeing well, they may also become stubborn and resistant to moving.
Start Early…Quite Early
When children and their parents have trouble talking about tough topics, it won’t be an easy conversation. Starting early and learning ways to communicate through a difficult subject is best, and the earlier the better. No matter what the age of your parent, experts recommend that starting the discussion early and laying the groundwork is important.
Make It About You
One way to help your parent see the need for assisted living is by making it about you, and not them. While you may have serious concerns about their health and safety, how you say it can make a difference. If you tell your parent that you are worried about them and it hurts you to see them struggling, it’s about you. They do not want you to be anxious and stressed due to their age-related issues.
Back Off and Try Again
Just because your parent is initially resistant doesn’t mean that’s the end of the discussion. Back off and look for opportunities to raise the topic again. Emphasize that the parent’s right of self-determination is important and let them warm to the idea on their own terms.
When the senior expresses some interest in looking at an assisted living community, be sure to have some options ready to share. If you can tour them ahead of time and eliminate ones you know your parent wouldn’t enjoy, that’s even better. Make sure that you take on the responsibility of calling and scheduling the tour so they don’t have to.
At Adult Care Advisors, we help families adjust to the changes of aging and find ways to help their loved ones in a transparent and loving way.
Get in touch with our team of senior care experts for information that will help you narrow your choices in assisted living. You can be ready if and when your parent wants to inquire about the options.