 | Shanna Parrish-Taylor is the Director of Nursing at Vintage Place Assisted Living. She is a RN with 9 years long term care experience, experience in critical care as well as hospice setting. Shanna is currently working on her master’s degree towards obtaining her ANRP. For more information on Shanna or Vintage Place please call 620-231-4554.
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Senior Living
2011-03-01 10:26:00
What do you do if your loved one is resistant to moving to assisted living?
Question: Lately, every time I visit my aging parents I notice signs of decline in the ability to care for themselves. Since I live quite a distance and am unable to move at this time, I am very concerned that they are not eating properly and taking care of themselves sufficiently. I spoke to them about assisted living, but they took it as a personal assault to their freedom and dignity. Is there a way I can help ease them into the idea?
Answer: It is very normal to be resistant to the idea of assisted living when the idea is first broached with a loved one. Part of that resistance may be caused by a reluctance to leave a special and familiar place, feeling too old for something new or the fear of being forgotten. Other people are resistant to the idea of assisted living because they have a perception of it having an institutional feel and restricting their freedom.
There are several ways to help your parent consider assisted living in a new light. Here are a few things to help make that transition:
•They could choose an assisted
living facility closer to where you
live and would therefore have
much more time with them.
•Visit the several facilities and
arrange before hand to be able
to participate in some of the day’s
activities.
•Be honest and upfront about your
concerns. Let them know that they
raised you to honor them and
protect their wellbeing, a job that
you want to do well by assuring
that they are in safe surroundings
with people to care for their needs.
•Explain that knowing that they are
safe is a gift to you throughout the
day.
•Explain the real situation.
Autonomy now could lead to
injuries from falls, which would
necessitate an extended time
away from one another and greater
reduction in freedoms.
•Place the decision in their hands
when possible. Most family
members given enough time
to decide and exposure to quality
assisted living facilities will make
the decision to protect their health.
Making the transition to an assisted living facility can be difficult. In most cases, having enough exposure to what an assisted living facility is really like can make all the difference.
