How to Help Support Your Parents with Senior Living
As your parents get older, you may have concerns about their health and safety, and you may wonder when it’s time for them to consider a different living situation. It’s not easy to convince your parents to move from the home where they’ve lived for many years, but learning how to talk to your parents about senior living is a good first step.
Rather than waiting until a health crisis forces your parents to think about moving, it’s wise to have a conversation about options early on. It could take some time for your parents to come around to the idea, so it’s helpful to get them thinking about possibilities early on.
How you approach the topic of moving to senior living can make a big difference. Leading with a barrage of questions or reasons why you think they can’t manage on their own at home may trigger a defensive response from your parents. Instead, focus on the benefits of moving and how living in a community can make their life easier and more enjoyable. It’s helpful to be sensitive to their feelings and try to understand the fears and worries they have about getting older and needing help.
Get to Know Senior Living Options
Understanding different levels of living is essential in helping your parents find the setting that’s right for them. The levels of living offered at The Heritage at Brentwood® include:
- Independent living is an option for residents who are active and self-sufficient in taking care of daily tasks. They appreciate a maintenance-free lifestyle with freedom from the responsibilities of taking care of a home.
- Assisted living offers the extra help your loved one needs to manage daily tasks such as grooming, showering, and dressing, as well as medication management, transportation to off-site appointments, and more. Assistance is available at the push of the button any time of day or night.
- Memory care provides long-term care and assistance with daily activities in a safe setting intentionally designed to support those with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
- Skilled nursing is a setting that offers continuous care for complex medical needs in cases when a person’s chronic illness or disability requires the specialized care of skilled nursing.
Benefits of a Senior Living Community
The idea of aging in place at home may sound appealing at first, but in the long run, staying in their home can take a toll on a person’s physical, social, emotional and financial well-being. Here are some reasons why community living can be a better option than staying at home for your parents:
Maintenance-free living: Imagine the burden lifted if your parents don’t have to worry about lawn mowing, housekeeping, meal preparation, home repairs and more. A maintenance-free lifestyle gives them the freedom to spend each day doing what they want instead of toiling over chores at home.
A plan for health care: If your parents choose a Life Plan Community with LifeCare® and move into independent living, they’ll pay a one-time entrance payment and a monthly fee for as long as they stay at the community. If their health needs change, they’ll have access to a continuum of care within the community, including assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing and rehabilitation.
Financial security: Moving into a senior living community may be more affordable than your parents realize. They’ll pay one predictable monthly fee that covers just about everything they need today with protection against the ever-rising costs of long-term care in the future.
Amenities for an active lifestyle: A senior living community is a place where your parents can meet new friends and enjoy the next chapter of life. They’ll discover an array of amenities and activities to help them stay active, find purpose, and connect with others every day.
How to Support Your Parent in Their Senior Living Search
Although the decision is ultimately up to them, you have influence as a family member looking out for their best interests. Here are some tips on how to talk to your parents about senior living and how to prepare for the important decisions ahead:
- Evaluate their needs. Knowing your parents’ strengths and weaknesses can help identify where help is needed without overlooking the areas where they can manage successfully on their own.
- Compare the costs. Start looking at the costs, services, levels of care and amenities offered at different senior living communities.
- Tour the community. You can get a feel for the community and its lifestyle by touring the campus, meeting residents and team members, and attending community events. You’ll want to find a place where your loved one will feel comfortable — as well as one that best suits their needs.
- Stay positive. Listen to the concerns your parents have and allow them time to take in all the information. Emphasize the values that matter most to them, such as maintaining independence, self-reliance, dignity, and peace of mind for their family.
Why Choose The Heritage for Senior Living?
As Williamson County’s only LifeCare community, The Heritage at Brentwood offers an exceptional value in senior living on a beautiful 48-acre campus in Brentwood, TN. Residents enjoy an active, independent lifestyle plus lifelong unlimited days of assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing at virtually no increase in the monthly fee.
We encourage you to contact us to learn more and ask questions. Moving to senior living is an important decision for your family, and we want to help you make the best choice.
