Are you currently caring for seniors in your family? If you have a parent who lives alone or in your home, you know that it can be a challenge to provide the daily resources that he or she needs. This issue is often complicated for many adult children by the fact that as many as 75% of seniors who require assisted living have two or more chronic illnesses and conditions and 40% need assistance with three or more daily tasks (e.g. eating, dressing, taking medications, etc.).
If you are in this situation, it is absolutely crucial to find a facility that recognizes individual needs when caring for seniors. However, the first step in some families is broaching the subject of assisted living, especially if your parent is resistant to the idea. Once you’ve decided that a senior care facility is the best option for your parent, here are some ways you can begin discussing this idea:
1.Meet one-on-one to address your concerns.
Having an entire intervention with the whole family could make your parent feel powerless in the decision to enter assisted living, and this can trigger defenses. Instead, talk to your mom or dad one-on-one in order to bring up the topic. Because assisted senior living may not be something your parents have considered before, you may want to bring it up and let them think on it for a little while on their own.
2.Explain your reasoning with clear examples.
Some senior parents may not understand why you would suggest elder care for them, so it’s important to back up your recommendation with evidence that they need it. If your parent experienced a fall and injury, or if he or she lives alone and has had difficulty with daily tasks, these are good examples to bring up in conversation. Living alone is a significant risk for many elderly people, and it can increase the likelihood of depression in seniors, too. Therefore, if aging in place is hazardous to your parent’s physical or mental health, the social community aspect of senior living may be another reason to make the move.
3.Explore senior care options together in honest discussions.
There are many options to choose from when it comes to facilities specializing in caring for seniors, from independent community living to assisted living with 24/7 care. Currently, there are over one million seniors in assisted living, and the options are just as diverse as the residents and their needs. Talk to your parent about the type of care they may need, whether it’s behavioral or memory care for seniors or it’s an active lifestyle they seek in a vibrant elder care community.
4.Visit a senior living community together.
Your mother or father may not know exactly what to look for in a senior care facility, and he or she may even be nervous about visiting alone. When you visit together, you can both have the ability to observe the staff and residents and ask questions about the level of care provided. A visit to a senior community is crucial before finalizing any decisions.
Remember, there are resources available to aid you in this decision, and a professional may be able to give your parent the final push toward comprehensive senior care.