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How to Approach the Topic of Assisted Living with Senior Citizens
As our parents and the senior citizens in our family reach that "golden age" where assisted living is not only a safety precaution but also a means to ensure that they spend these years in bliss, we are put in a dilemma. Breaching the topic of assisted living with our senior citizens is something that we tend to avoid until a situation arises. In order to ensure a smooth conversation about assisted living and to ensure we are putting across a positive point, it is necessary to do some pre-planning and a little research.
This blog will look at ways in which we can have this difficult conversation with our senior citizens.
Research first.
Before even getting to the stage where one must talk about assisted living with senior citizens, it is necessary to do detailed research into a retirement community. While researching, look at all possible factors and variables. For example: location, services offered, meal plans, activities on site, health and safety provided, etc. Additionally, contacting these communities will give you a better understanding of what it means to live in a retirement community with 24/7 assistance.
Choose your words carefully.
Armed with the research you have collected, it is important to get the vocabulary right. Rather than using words like "nursing homes," use words like "community." This will create a sense of comfort and excitement. In the event you are able to get your hands on a brochure or a video explaining the community, be sure to include it in your conversation. It is also important to get your facts right. One must stress the fact that, although this may be a community, senior citizens will have the utmost independence. This will give them the confidence that nothing will change in the future as well.
Guided Tours:
This will have to be one of the most important factors that impacts the decision. Arrange for guided tours of various communities so that your senior citizens will have a real-life insight into life at a community. They will be able to have conversations and share thoughts with their peers who are already living life to the fullest in these retirement communities.
Obtain Assistance -
If you find yourself in trouble, get help. Conversations such as this can be hard and daunting. But when you have family and friends to rely on, even these topics will turn out to be easy. Discuss among yourselves and come up with a strategy. Additionally, it is also beneficial if you can reach out to friends of yours who are senior citizens and already live in the community. Their information can really help in the decision-making process.
Recognize and sympathise
While having the conversation about assisted living with senior citizens, one has to remember that it is not always easy for them to adapt to change. Leaving a home and community of which they have been a part for decades and moving somewhere new can be scary. It is critical to reassure them that, while their home may change, their emotions and relationships will not. Take their views and thoughts into account and offer up apt solutions.