With the holiday season approaching, it’s an excellent time to gather with family you haven’t seen in a while. While we look forward to the enjoyable moments with friends and relatives, it’s also an opportune time to bring up pressing issues.
If you believe your parent or loved one could benefit from assisted living, understand the planning that comes into bridging that conversation. Convincing a parent to go to assisted living is a sensitive issue, but you may be surprised by the outcome with the proper preparation.
Does my loved one need assisted living?
Assisted living is a needs-based service offered in communities like SoCo Village in the heart of Austin, TX.
With care services from licensed nurses and specialized associates and amenities like housekeeping, laundry, and scratch-cooked meals, you can relax knowing the quality of your loved one’s life is improving with assisted living.
Is your loved one experiencing:
- Loneliness or isolation?
- Inadequate access to care?
- Trouble bathing?
- Mobility issues?
- Falls?
- Gaining or losing weight?
- Problems managing bills?
- Falling behind on household chores?
- Trouble managing medication?
- Alzheimer’s or dementia?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, assisted living could make positive improvements to your loved one’s life. From daily social and physical activities to individualized care plans, SoCo Village would love to welcome your family to our home.
How to Convince a Parent To Go to Assisted Living
It would be ideal to have this conversation with your parents before a crisis presents itself. Don’t wait until the senior in your life has a severe fall or accident to begin looking for assistive services.
Before starting the conversation, do research to support your statements. If you’re reading this, congratulations, you’re on your way.
Research
- Write down what concerns you have about your loved ones. The list of questions above is a great place to start.
- Research the SoCo Village website and social media pages to gain insight into our daily life. Imagine your parents joining us for a holiday party or happy hour.
- Ask other family members about issues they foresee in your loved one’s life.
The more prepared you are for the conversation, the easier it will be to appeal to their emotions.
The Conversation
Timing
Save the talk around the dinner table for reminiscing on memories and choose a time where you and your loved one can be in a relaxed mood. If possible, have an ally join you who’s also familiar with the situation.
Patience
Don’t feel the need to rush into the conversation. Start with some of your concerns for your loved one. Drawing on your research, ease into suggesting the benefits of assisted living. Ask them about their living situation: loneliness, managing medication, fall risk, etc.
Empathetic Listening
You might need to do additional research, but brush up on your active and empathetic listening skills.
Once you’ve expressed your concerns, don’t fear moments of silence. Let your loved ones have time to express themselves.
Listen to their apprehensions about moving away from their home. You don’t need to make a yes or no decision right then. Simply listening and making them feel heard can plant the seed.
Arrange a Follow Up Discussion
Thank them for their input and let them know they expressed concerns you had not considered. Follow up later by suggesting something like a simple chat during a ride to the store or over a cup of coffee.
Work Together to Find Care
If your loved one is keen on the idea of assisted living, you’ve had a great conversation. If your parent is apprehensive about the idea, suggest finding a solution to their care needs together.
Involve your loved one in the process of finding a community they think they’ll enjoy. Explore options together and make them feel like an active participant.
Remember, you’re not commanding your parent to go to assisted living. You’re trying to start a conversation. Keep in mind that it’s important to:
- Do your research
- Look for a good opportunity
- Be an empathetic listener
- Prepare to do it again
We’re no strangers to guiding personalized tours at SoCo Village. Give us a call at (512) 522-5858 or contact us to arrange a time we can all meet each other.
About SoCo Village
SoCo Village is a locally-owned and operated assisted living and memory care community. We’re a resource for seniors to live their best lives while encouraging Austin roots and values throughout our community, located just outside the South Congress neighborhood.