As the people you love age, it is hard to know how to approach certain subjects like assisted living services. It is not an easy topic to bring up, but it is an important discussion. The transition to assisted living can be a fun one because of all the community can offer, but change is always scary. How you approach the subject can make all the difference. How can you start a conversation about assisted living with your loved one?
Transition to Assisted Living Tips: Where to Start
A good place to start is to get a full understanding of what a transition to assisted living will mean for your loved one. Assisted living allows people to maintain their independence and still get help if they need it.
Assisted living isn’t just about enhanced security for a loved one, though. It means being part of a senior community that focuses on supporting seniors by providing services like medication management and meals. At the same time, it allows them to enjoy a healthy lifestyle and social engagement with other people.
Transition to Assisted Living Tips: Planting the Seed
Once you understand the benefits of assisted living, you can start to plant the seeds to get your loved one interested. You might pick up brochures from assisted living centers like Summer’s Landing to show them.
Also, talk about the benefits of making that transition. Wouldn’t it be nice to not have to worry about cooking meals or going to the grocery store? It’s not easy to stick to a special diet. It would be good to have someone on hand to help with medication, too.
Imagine having someone around to play cards with or exercise with other seniors. How nice it would be to plan regular trips to areas around town, too.
Transition to Assisted Living Tips: Involve Your Loved One
Finally, once you’ve brought up the general idea of assisted living a few times and talked about the benefits, get specific about the details. What assisted living communities nearby are an option? What can you expect from assisted living? Does your loved one need specific services?
Most importantly, make it clear that you want to keep your loved one involved in the decision-making. Ask if they might be interested in touring a community to see what it is like and meet some residents.
Always keep your tone upbeat and make sure to have two-way conversations. No one likes to be told they have to do something. Be ready to address some reasons they might not want to transition to assisted living. For example, maybe it would mean giving up the home they’ve spent most of their lives in, or they are afraid of losing their independence.
Be prepared to address these concerns and talk about how assisted living can improve their quality of life. Summer’s Landing offers a supportive environment that focuses on allowing residents their privacy while still having caregivers on hand to help if necessary.
Connect With Summer’s Landing Today
Services at Summer’s Landing include:
- Medication assistance
- Help with meals
- Assistance with daily tasks if necessary like bathing and dressing
Summer’s Landing offers a healthy and social environment for assisted living residents at an affordable price. We are centrally located in Lynn Haven, FL, making our community convenient for Lynn Haven, Panama City, and the surrounding area.
At Summer’s Landing, we provide a dietitian-approved menu along with fun exercise programs such as yoga. Residents enjoy regular trips to places in the area, such as the historic district in Lynn Haven.
If you are looking for ways to talk to someone you love about assisted living, give us a call at 850.265.9829. Our staff can give you some pointers.