The adult child of a senior-age parent never truly wants to believe that their parent is anything but vital, strong, and capable. Unfortunately, a different reality can surface and you recognize that it might be time to talk to your parent about assisted living. It is no easier for them to accept that they are having limitations that might make remaining in their home too difficult, so it is important to broach the subject in a positive manner.
The first step is to find an assisted living facility that you would be comfortable living in yourself. Chances are if it appeals to you, it has a better chance of appealing to them. Ideally, find a place where they will be encouraged to be as self-reliant as possible and treated with respect. If your parent is exhibiting signs of or has been diagnosed with dementia, Alzheimer’s, or other memory issues, be sure that the facility is equipped to handle this type of care.
Ideally, you would have begun talking with your parent about their future plans long before recognizing a need for assisted living and can already have some perspective on what they had in mind before the time actually arrives. Regardless of when the conversations begin, try to let them understand that it is an ongoing discussion about potential future plans, the “what-if” scenarios as it were, rather than an immediate change to their life. It can be helpful to point out the benefits of assisted living, especially those you have noticed at the facilities you have found. Letting them know that they are involved in the decisions always goes over better than attempting to dictate their future. Once they are on board with the potential idea of assisted living, then tell them about a place you heard about and see if they would be amenable to touring it.
When you are recommending a place like we have at The Almost Home Group, you can also point out that you recognize that they’d prefer the environment they have in their own home. That is because we offer the same type of living style, yet with the benefits of assisted living! We take care of the things they might struggle with so that they can better enjoy themselves. You might find they love the idea of having the housekeeping, laundry, meal preparation, and other tasks done for them. Reach out today if you and your parent would like to tour one of our three residential assisted living homes in the Piedmont Triad, North Carolina area.
