Having “The Talk” About Senior Living
Having the “the talk” about senior living can be a windy road to travel. As an adult child of a senior, you have many responsibilities, one is bringing up tough conversations regarding their lifestyle and wellbeing.
First, it’s the keys to the car, then it’s giving up housework or yard maintenance. These little things in life that bring us purpose after we retire are going away one by one. It can feel diminishing. Then, you realize as an adult child that mom or dad shouldn’t be living at home anymore. How in the world are you going to bring this topic on after all they’ve had to let go of or lose control of?
We’ve been helping individuals navigate these conversations for many years. Here are some tips as you prepare to have that tough conversation.
Make a “Why and How” List
Before sitting down with mom or dad and talking about senior living, make a “why and how” list. Why have you been thinking that they need a new living situation? How is their quality of life going to be better in a senior living community? How has their socialization or isolation been with their current living situation? How will that change in a senior living community? Why is this the best decision for them at this stage of their life. Once you create a list, you can reaffirm the reasons why you need to have the talk with them.
Find Senior Care Options
The great thing is that no matter your loved one’s needs or wants, there is a community that is right for them. Minnesota is known throughout the nation for having of the best senior living and care. There are many options out there, everything from independent living, townhomes and apartments to skilled nursing care centers, and everything in between. So how do you know which option is right for your parent? We can help you with that. To learn more about senior living options and start the process of deciding which is best for your loved one, go to our website and look through the options that we offer. Then give us a call to talk about your loved one’s specific needs. If you’re aware of your options, it will make broaching that subject easier when the time comes.
Note “Remember When” Moments
It’s hard to know when the right time to bring up the assisted living or senior living discussion. It’s likely as an adult child of an aging senior, you’ve encountered issues that has made you think of making the move. Things like falls, medication issues, not eating properly, scams, forgetting payments can all be indicators that it’s time to think about a change. Use these moments as your cue to bring up senior living.
Try and Try Again
If your parent is pretty independent, it make take more than one conversation for them to agree that this is the right decision. Unless you feel your parent is unsafe living alone, or if caregiving is becoming more than you can manage, be content to wait a bit after your first talk to allow your parent to come to their own realization that moving won’t be the signal of the end of life, but the beginning of an exciting new chapter.
Don’t Wait for a Crisis
A great time to take a tour and plan for senior living is before you need it. Waiting for a crisis only limits your options, diminishes the quality of life you have left and rushes the decision making process. We’re happy to have discussions about options, tour our community and guide you with options in and aside from our community that may work best for you. Many people have an outdated vision of what senior living is and seeing our communities can be an eye-opener. Many people don’t realize that senior living communities offer benefits aside from physical care, like living a maintenance-free lifestyle, socializing with like-minded adults, and spiritual, emotional and mental support.
We may assume everyone wants to live at home for as long as possible. But that may not always be the case. It depends on your loved one’s lifestyle and needs. If one spouse has passed away and the other is living alone, that makes for a lot of lonely days and nights. Senior living means being in a community of friends, with activities to enjoy, people to socialize with, and a whole new way of life. Maybe it’s your mom or dad who are wondering how to broach the subject with you!
