The topic of lifestyle options can be a difficult one to approach with a parent for a variety of reasons. If you have noticed a change in their health or their standard of living that is causing you concern, they might not be aware of the same change. Moreover, any thought of giving up a certain level of independence can result in some pushback whenever you try to discuss options with them.
Nevertheless, the most important thing is that you ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of your parent. This might mean that you have to have some difficult conversations with them, but the sooner you are able to help them realize that they can only stand to benefit from a bit of help, the better off they will be overall.
The conversation about making changes to your parent’s style of living should be approached factually and with as much information on your part as possible. This means that it is a good idea to start looking into the various options available to them before getting into the specifics of the conversation. However, you might not yet have a firm understanding of what lifestyle option would be best for your aging parent.
If you have found yourself in such a scenario, there are a few things that you should do in order to find out what the right option for your parent would be. With that in mind, here are a few tips to consider when you are looking to find the right lifestyle option for your aging parent. This is for when services such as palliative care are not required yet.
Talk to Their Healthcare Provider
The first step that you should take when you are looking to find the right style of living for your parent is to talk to their physician or another healthcare provider. One of the biggest motivators behind making the transition to a higher level of care is that of declining health or a developing medical condition.
If your parent is experiencing health-related issues that aren’t going to be going away any time soon, this could very well be the deciding factor about what sort of lifestyle option you go with. There are communities for seniors that are specifically designed to cater to a variety of health-related conditions that are particular to seniors.
Furthermore, such conditions might not be physical in nature. There are also communities that have memory care options on-site for those who have developed dementia or Alzheimer’s. Such conditions can make it impossible for your parent to continue living completely independently, and communities that offer this type of care can be a perfect solution for your parent.
If you would like to explore senior living options that help cater to specific healthcare needs, you can visit website of Frontier Senior Living.
On the other hand, your parent might not be suffering from any major healthcare issues at this time. They might simply need assistance taking certain medications each day or would benefit from having a medical team on-site round the clock in case of an emergency. There are communities that are designed with a more independent style of living in mind for those who are in such situations as well.
Find the Right Location
Once you know the type of community you should be considering based on the healthcare needs of your parent, you should then look into facilities that offer the right level of care within a certain location.
As far as apprehensions about a change in living conditions go, the fear of not living close to family and friends any longer can be a major concern for seniors. You never want your parent to feel as though they are being banished to a location that they are unfamiliar with and that isn’t convenient for regular visits with friends and family. This is why finding the right location is so important.
Take the time to explore living options that are nearby. You might even be able to find one that is right in your parent’s current area. Such a community can be a more comfortable option for them.
On the other hand, if your parent currently lives in an entirely different city than you and other family members, a move to a community within your own area might be more appealing to them in general. The promise of being able to spend more time with you and other loved ones can help them to feel more comfortable and even excited at the prospect of such a change.
Listen to What They Want
If you do determine that your parent should really make the transition to an assisted living community or another type of senior living community, there will no doubt be a number of concerns that your parent has about such a change. The best thing that you can do for your parent is to listen to them and their thoughts on the matter as patiently as possible.
Even those who acknowledge that such a change is necessary will find the process difficult in some regards. Perhaps they have been living in their home for many years and are sad to be moving on. Maybe they just simply are overwhelmed at that thought of moving in general, as most people are regardless of what stage in life they are at.
Throughout the entire process, make sure that your parent knows that the lines of communication are open. If they need to discuss certain concerns and worries, you are there to listen to and support them through this big change in their life.
Furthermore, they might have specific opinions about the style of living that they want going forward. By listening to their opinions on things like amenities, services, and the general style and layout of a community, you can help them to feel much more involved in the process. This can go a long way to easing their mind and helping them to feel a sense of control over the transition to a new style of living.
