Approaching Senior Assisted Living with an Elderly Relative

Senior citizens have spent the better part of their lives working for what they have. As they grow older, there may come a time that an elderly family member may need help with their daily routine. When faced with this issue, family members should be careful about the approach they take with seniors in order to make the possible transition as easy as possible for the senior citizen. Although family members may see assisted living as the answer to mental and health related issues becoming evident in the senior, the elderly person may not see it the same way.

How to approach senior family members about assisted living:

Question Yourself- Before approaching an elderly family member about moving into assisted living quarters, question yourself as to whether this is the right move or not. A senior citizen has worked hard to attain the things that he/she has. Make certain that the suggestion comes from the want to make life easier for the senior citizen as well as ensure his/her safety. Moving a senior citizen to an assisted living home should not be because "no one has time" to help the senior with issues that might easily be taken care of while the senior is still in his/her own home. Is there any way to help the elderly person stay in his/her home safely? If there truly is no possible way to keep the senior in his/her home, it is time to have a talk with him/her to discuss the options.

Be Understanding- When approaching a senior citizen about moving him/her to a nursing home or assisted living facility, it is best to approach it from an understanding view. When a person works hard for something all of his/her life, he/she expects that he/she will be able to live out his/her life in the home he/she worked so hard for. Giving up a home to move into a place where they will "take care" of you isn't usually the most attractive package for senior citizens. Seniors like to think of themselves as self-reliant. It is, in fact, one of the freedoms they hold dearest. When approaching an elderly person about his/her home, remember that it is more than a simple move for him/her. It is a life changing experience. Approaching the subject should be done with caution. Many seniors will put up a fight even though they know, in some cases, that it is the best option for their situations. How would you want to be approached in the same situation?

Input from the Senior- Any discussion about placing a senior in a care facility should be done so with the senior present and with his/her input. The senior citizen may have something of interest to add to a decision that will change his/her life. Senior citizens are not children who need to be told what to do. There are cases that a senior citizen is not capable of being involved in the decision. Every effort should be made to do so though. The elderly deserve to be treated with respect and getting their input on such a huge decision in their own lives is the only way to respect them in this manner.

Finding the Right Place- Senior citizens deserve some respect. Allowing them to help choose where their home will be is an important step in making them feel more at ease with the possible move. Take the elderly family member to different care facilities so he/she can see for him/herself what type of facility it is. Give the family member a chance to meet people that he/she will be in contact with. Making the move comfortable might make approaching the idea of assisted living much easier for all involved.

There are ways to make seniors feel more a part of the decision process when considering elder care. There are many reasons that families must begin to consider the idea of nursing homes/assisted living facilities. Whether it is because the elderly family member is ill or is simply too frail to handle daily chores, it is a difficult decision to have to make. Visiting the care facility with the senior family member can help him/her see for him/herself that it isn't as bad as they think. Whether the transition is a successful one is all in how it is presented.