Discussing residential care with a loved one

Watching a parent or loved one get older and become less independent can be a difficult and upsetting experience. You may notice that you have to help them with an increasing amount of daily tasks, and you may also witness their personality change from being energetic and outgoing to reserved and fearful. If you are worried about their safety when they are home alone, you may have considered what the benefits of residential care could be.

If you are already convinced that a nursing home could increase your loved one’s quality of life and safety, you will need to bring up the topic, which can be emotional and scary. If you are concerned about your loved one’s future, you should consider approaching the topic sensitively. The following are some tips for discussing future living options with an aging family member.

Talk to them broadly about the future

If you approach the topic forcefully or pitch an idea to your loved one about their future living situation, it is likely that they will feel intimated or defensive. Instead, you should start to approach the topic in a broader way, asking, for example, if they can see themselves living in the same home in the years to come. They may have been thinking about nursing homes themselves and would like to discuss it openly.

Talk to other family members

Before moving forward, it is important to talk to other family members about the possibility of a move. If you have siblings, they will also want to give their opinion and provide support if necessary, so it is important that they have the opportunity to do so.

Conduct thorough research into assisted living facilities

No nursing home is the same, and they can vary greatly in regard to the amount of support offered and the amount of independence that residents have. Some assisted living facilities consist of individual apartments with caregivers available only when required, whereas others have more intensive forms of support.

If you want to help your parent enjoy the later stages of their life, it is important that you are able to plan for them and take care of administrative details. By understanding legal procedures in California relating to elder law, you will be able to effectively do this.