Starting the Conversation about Transitioning to Assisted Living

When it’s time to talk to your loved one about transitioning into an assisted living facility, there are important ways you can begin to navigate this difficult discussion. Talking to your loved one about senior living homes can be met with negative emotions like anxiety and denial. When this topic is brought up, seniors often feel like they’re being forced to leave their homes and give up their independence. There are ways to make this conversation about senior living options go more smoothly.

Get Informed

The key to any great discussion is knowledge. Be sure to look at the various assisted living facilities before bringing up the topic with your loved one. This doesn’t mean making the decision for them, it simply means looking at independent assisted living communities that you think would best suit your loved ones needs and getting a better idea of what they can expect.

In addition to taking into account their comfort, you should also consider the financial aspect of assisted living. If you don’t already know, find a respectful way to ask about your loved one’s financial situation. This may be hard, but doing so will better equip you with the knowledge you need to find affordable assisted living and the confidence to start the conversation.

Keep an Ongoing Discussion

The topic of assisted living communities should be discussed before it is too late. Begin discussing the concept of moving into a senior retirement community while your loved one is still mobile and coherent in their own environment. You can hypothetically approach this topic, that way your senior doesn’t feel ambushed. Be sure to let your senior know that a decision doesn’t have to be made immediately, but that it’s a good idea to start a discussion and looking at options for independent assisted living facilities for when the time does come.

During these conversations, let it be known that you want to respect their wishes. Convey to them that your number one priority for them is their safety, their health and their comfort in a new assisted living home. Continually have these conversations in a casual, comfortable environment. Doing this avoids the stress of urgency and allows for healthier, more beneficial conversations.

Avoid Information Overload

It may be tempting to present all the information you have about affordable assisted living to your senior immediately as you get it, but it is best to hold off on doing this. Presenting too much information to anyone can be overwhelming. When someone is overwhelmed, they become disengaged or frustrated in the conversation and all hopes of convincing them are lost. Keep an ongoing discussion about senior community retirement living. There is no rush to present all the information at one time. Space it out, that way your senior has time to listen and reflect on what’s being said about assisted living communities.

Kenwood Care is a great option for affordable assisted living

If you have been talking to your senior about assisted living options, consider Kenwood Care. We offer seniors comfortable accommodations and quality care. We have multiple locations in Fulton, Laurel and Dayton, MD. Contact us today to see how we can help you and your loved one find the right assisted living community!