Three Keys to Helping Your Elderly Mom Understand What Life Will Be Like at Assisted Living
There could be many reasons why an aging senior doesn’t want to talk about assisted living. They may have a number of myths and misconceptions about this senior living option, but if you want to help your mother understand this would be a great decision for her to make, there are a few keys to keep in mind.
Key #1: Go on a tour.
A quality, dependable assisted living facility should offer tour opportunities for seniors and/or their loved ones. These tours allow people to see the inside of the facility, get a sense of the dining establishment on site, the various rooms, and what it would actually be like to live there. Most of the time these tours are conducted at specific times, most often on the weekends, so as to not disturb the residents.
It’s a good idea to make a reservation for one of these tours so that not only can your aging mother see what this could be like, but you’ll also have a better foundation when trying to convince her to at least consider this senior care option.
Key #2: Learn about the various activities.
Every assisted living facility is different so what activities may take place at one community might differ from another. That doesn’t necessarily make one better than the other, but a good community will have various options for all of its residents.
You can learn a lot about these activities through one of the aforementioned tours, but you can also ask pointed, specific questions of the administrative staff as well as learn about the various things this particular facility has going on through their website and printed materials.
Key #3: Listen to what your mother has to say.
When people don’t want to hear about certain topics or advice from friends or family, it could be due to any number of reasons, including misconceptions. Pay attention to the things your mother might be saying about assisted living when you bring the topic up.
She may give you plenty of clues that will help you form a more diligent argument in favor of assisted living by discounting the myths and misconceptions she has in place already.
When you pay attention to these specific points, when you put them to practice, there is no guarantee your elderly mother will agree to assisted living, but the chances of her being open to the idea will dramatically improve.
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