November 25, 2018  -  Peregrine Perspective

Starting the Conversation About Assisted Living Communities

You love your parents and would do absolutely anything for them. After all, you owe them. They took care of you as a child – making sure you had good food to eat, nice clothes to wear and a place to lay your head at night. Now that you’re an adult, it’s time to return the favor. This burden is common among adult children with aging parents. However, if your loved ones need more assistance and support than you can provide on your own, caring for them can be difficult and overwhelming.

Assisted living communities offer a perfect balance in these situations. They allow you to be a partial caregiver to your parents, while also ensuring that your loved one receives the professional senior care services they may need.  

Talking to Aging Parents

The conversation regarding senior care for your parents is not an easy one. You don’t know how your parents will respond or what they will think. Will they feel you’re taking away their independence? Will they think you’re trying to get out of the responsibility of helping them? Will they stress out about the costs?

There are a lot of stigmas around assisted living and many older individuals are set on the idea of aging in place. However, when the needs of your parents go beyond those of typical aging, it’s important to discuss available options with your family.

Think about how you will approach the conversation and make sure to go in prepared. Do your research in advance and come to the table with the following information:

• A list of assisted living communities in your neighborhood
• A breakdown of typical costs associated with aging in place vs. an assisted living community
• Brochures that highlight key amenities, features and benefits of assisted living
• A clear plan for how you will continue to be involved
• A course of action for making the final decision

The better prepared you are to talk about the options, the more open your parents will be to hearing them. If they realize it’s important to you to discuss, they will be more likely to listen.

Who You Should Include in the Conversation?

It is important that you have the conversation with your parent(s), as well as any siblings. Making sure all members of the family are on the same page will make any transition much smoother.

Show that your parent’s wants and needs are heard during the discussion. Never make them feel as though they are being ignored or left out of the conversation. Caregiving is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Your parents’ needs are different than anyone else’s and should be the main priority when having this important conversation.

It’s also a good idea to consult your parents’ doctors as well. By having a better understanding of the physical and mental issues your parents are dealing with, you can more easily gear the conversation to their specific needs.

How to Keep Your Parents Open Minded

Sometimes talking isn’t the only answer. Consider scheduling tours at a few assisted living communities near you so your parents can get a clearer picture of what life would be like. Fear of the unknown is powerful. By giving your parents the chance to picture themselves in new surroundings, you can open their mind to the possibility of making the move to an assisted living community.

Ultimately, you need to make your parents feel as though they are 100% a part of the decision-making process. The more involved they are from the beginning, the more open they will be to the idea of moving to assisted living.

Peregrine Senior Living Fulfills a Unique Approach to Senior Care

Peregrine Senior Living is an assisted living community built on our guiding philosophy, The Peregrine Way®. Let us help you better understand the importance of aging gracefully and with dignity. Learn about our unique offerings or call to schedule a tour of our community so you can decide if assisted living is the right decision for your loved ones.