How to Start the Conversation About Assisted Living with Mom or Dad

The first time you bring up the topic of assisted living with a parent can trigger several different emotions. Your mom or dad may be hesitant at the thought of moving to an assisted living community, and feelings of tension or even fear could surface. This is why it is important to approach this conversation in a positive and supportive way.

At Lakeshore Senior Living, we understand how important this initial conversation is for setting the tone for the whole transition process. To help you start this conversation and navigate it positively, our Guntersville, Alabama, team is sharing tips on how to approach the topic and make the conversation as smooth as possible.

Come Prepared

Before you bring up the topic of moving to an assisted living community with your mom or dad, we encourage you to do your research, so you are prepared.

Unfortunately, there are still stigmas and misconceptions surrounding what living in an assisted living community is like, so your parent may have these thoughts in their head and be hesitant to make the move. By having done research beforehand and coming to the conversation prepared, you will be able to reassure Mom or Dad, answer questions they may have, and highlight what life is really like in these communities.

Not only will you be able to let your parent know that assisted living communities offer compassionate care and engaging activities, but you will also have a better idea of the options that are available to you and your family when the time comes to make the transition. This will help you feel more confident when approaching the conversation with your parent.

Stay Positive

Whatever your parent’s hesitations or feelings toward an assisted living community are, it is important to stay positive whenever you are talking about it.

Reassure Mom or Dad that assisted living communities, like Lakeshore Senior Living in Guntersville, Alabama, offer welcoming environments that provide supportive care, engaging activities, and community amenities.

Make sure you emphasize the benefits of making the move into an assisted living community and how this lifestyle change could improve your parent’s quality of life, painting a positive picture in Mom or Dad’s mind. For example, maybe Mom or Dad want a more robust social life, but they lack the opportunities or transportation to make it happen. Explain how assisted living communities offer programs, classes, and events to connect residents, plus many offer transportation to doctor appointments or outings into the local community!

Keep the Conversation Ongoing

If you bring up assisted living once and the conversation does not go well, this does not mean that your parent will never come around to the idea. Instead of a “one and done” conversation, talk about assisted living in a casual, ongoing way.

Keeping the conversation ongoing may help your parent view the topic as a hypothetical option and allow them to have a more open mind about the idea. Additionally, talking about assisted living before it is absolutely needed gives your parent time to process and come around to the idea of living in a community setting.

If you wait to bring up this topic until assisted living services are needed, your mom or dad could interpret this as you trying to tell them what to do instead of listening to their preferences and concerns, potentially leading to more hesitation and resistance.

Assisted Living in Guntersville, Alabama

Our goal at Lakeshore Senior Living is to provide individuals with the right level of care and support while creating daily opportunities for them to find passion and success. We do this through a variety of activities, events, and other opportunities in our assisted living community in Guntersville, Alabama, and throughout the surrounding area.

Some of the features of our assisted living services and community amenities include:

• 24/7 support and assistance
• Medication management services
• Housekeeping services
• Restaurant-style dining
• Common areas with billiards and poker tables
• Fitness and exercise rooms
• Engaging planned activities and events
• On-site convenience store
• On-site salon and barber shop

Transitioning into an assisted living community is a big decision, but having this initial conversation is a significant first step. If you would like to learn more about our charming assisted living community in Guntersville, Alabama, we invite you to visit our website.