Talking To Your Parents About Assisted Living

In America today, more than 54.1 million individuals are age 65 or older. It is estimated that Americans residing in assisted living communities number in excess of 800,000. These communities help individuals who have trouble with activities of daily living including dressing, bathing, eating, etc.

If you decide it's time to start talking about assisted living with your mom, dad, or other loved one, clearly, they won't be alone. In fact, the opportunities for socialization in assisted living communities today are numerous. Many communities plan a large number of parties, movie nights, dances, concerts, and more. Even the chef-prepared meals offered three times a day, served in a fine dining atmosphere, are great opportunities to socialize and converse among friends. In addition, the on-site amenities in many of today's assisted living communities are exceptional.

Having a Tough Conversation with Your Parent

It may not be easy to have a conversation with your parents that will ultimately result in them residing in an assisted living community. But the time may come when it's the best move for all parties concerned.

Here are some tips as to how to handle the situation:

• Make sure your parents understand that your priority is their well-being. Let them know you're less concerned with making your life easier and more concerned with their health and welfare.
• Let your parents take the lead. Don't insert yourself and try to take charge of the conversation/situation right off the bat.
• Remember that patience is a virtue. In order to have an in-depth discussion with your parents regarding their welfare, it may be difficult and take some time. In fact, it may take several attempts.
• Before you enter into any conversation, do your homework. In order to have a productive discussion, you'll want to make sure you gather all necessary information from medical professionals, independent living communities, and more. To start the conversation, you may want to quote an article you found during your research.

Is Your Parent Ready for Assisted Living?

What are some of the signs that may point to being time to consider assisted living for your loved one? Some are as follows:

• Their driving habits have become dangerous.
• They frequently miss social plans or appointments.
• They are experiencing mobility issues.
• You notice unexplained injuries or bruises.
• Their lack of hygiene is noticeable.
• They've experienced a sudden weight loss.
• They've experienced recent injuries or falls in the home.
• They are showing signs of depression.
• You've noticed them forgetting things or getting confused more and more.

Introduce Your Parents to A Premier Assisted Living Environment

Each of our retirement community residents can enjoy numerous on-site amenities, three chef-prepared meals per day, abundant opportunities for socialization, friendly care team members, and so much more, courtesy of our exclusive CarePlus Assisted Living program.

For sales and leasing inquiries, please phone us at 817-438-0643. Other inquiries can be phoned in to 817-447-4477. If you prefer, you can use our convenient online form to open the lines of communication.

Best of all, you and your parents can schedule a tour to see for yourselves all we have to offer. We look forward to meeting you.