So, you’ve decided that now is the time to start thinking about senior living for your parents or loved ones (if you’re not sure, check out this post). Moving to a Senior Living Community may be necessary for your loved ones’ safety and physical and mental health. But you’re not sure your parents will agree. How do you talk to your parents about senior living? It can be a difficult and emotionally loaded topic. Here are a few ways to make talking to your parents about senior living easier.
Put yourself in their shoes.
Nobody likes feeling “old.” Few people enjoy feeling like they are losing their independence. It is completely reasonable for your mom or dad to feel upset about leaving their home. How would you feel in their situation?
Set reasonable expectations.
Because your loved one may be reluctant to agree with you, this might be a difficult conversation. That’s okay. That’s normal. It doesn’t mean that you’ve made the wrong choice. It just means it may take time for mom or dad to agree with you. This may mean having some hard conversations, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth having.
Don’t text it.
Talk to your loved one(s) in person. In-person conversations are becoming rarer these days, but this isn’t the kind of thing to discuss over text messages. Make sure you are able to look your loved one in the eye and read their face and body language cues as you are talking to them. Give hugs. This will help them know that you are on their side and trying to help them, not trying to get rid of them.
Try a short-term stay.
Senior living doesn’t have to be a permanent decision. All Stellar Living Communities can accommodate short-term stays. A “trial period” of a month or so can be a great compromise. Your loved one can experience the many benefits of senior living for themselves before a final decision is made.
Connect with them.
What does your loved one want to do? Why is he or she reluctant to try a senior living community? What are their concerns? It will be much easier to have a productive conversation if you can address their feelings and connect with them on an emotional level. You might get some references from people you know that have enjoyed senior living to help address their concerns.
With some simple preparation and reasonable expectations, this conversation doesn’t have to mean a fight. Senior Living Communities are the right choice for many people, and offer many wonderful benefits. Stellar Living’s Family Advisors can help you enter the conversation with all the information you need. Feel free to contact us anytime!
