At The Retreat at Sunny Vista, we know having your parents move to an Assisted Living community is a big decision for the entire family. It’s a move that should include a sincere conversation with your parents about what they’re looking for in a new community and how assisted living can fit the next chapter in their life. Here are some tips on starting the conversation with mom and dad on how they might benefit from life at an assisted living community.
1. How to make everyone part of the conversation?
Make a commitment to let everyone have their say about this transition, especially your parents. They will be impacted by the move to an assisted living community more than anyone else, so be ready to talk through any questions and feedback they have. Discuss what they envision when they think about the ideal community where they want to live. Also give yourself the opportunity to talk with your parents about how this move could provide them an extra hand with their everyday chores.
2. How can you commit to an ongoing conversation?
This decision will likely require a series of conversations. If possible, find times when the entire family can meet with your parents in person, so you can talk face-to-face about this transition. Schedule follow-up talks and show that you’re invested in understanding and addressing concerns. This approach helps build trust and ensures that everyone feels heard and supported.
3. Can making lists be helpful?
Have a pen and paper ready, so you can make an outline of everyone’s feedback, questions, or concerns. Making a list of the key issues helps to address and can help guide your search for an assisted living community. For example, think about how a community’s proximity to family members factors into this decision. Whether your parents can take advantage of rehabilitative care at their community if they are needed. Can mom and dad bring their pets with them to their new home. What kinds of safety features are built into their new apartment to prevent slips and falls.
4. What are the benefits of Assisted Living?
The value of the services an assisted living community can provide should be part of the conversation. You can discuss how your parents would get help with their daily routine, such as medication management and getting ready for the day. You can also talk about how an assisted living community will free them from household chores and open the door to life-enhancing amenities. At The Retreat at Sunny Vista, for example, we strive to maximize each resident’s independence while providing housekeeping and linen services, fine dining, salon, happy hours, and a state-of-the-art fitness facility on a campus with stunning views of Pikes Peak outside Colorado Springs. Sunny Vista also offers a holistic approach to nourishing the five pillars of each resident’s wellness by providing social connections, intellectual engagement, opportunities for purposeful living, spiritual growth, and by supporting the physical health of the members of our community.
5. What main points about the assisted living team are most important?
Have a discussion about the qualities and qualifications you’re looking for in caregivers. You’ll want a community with providers who have the training and experience needed to offer the level of care your loved one needs. Here at The Retreat at Sunny Vista, our dedicated group of caregivers treats every resident as a member of our own family. And we consider each resident’s family to be a part of the team in providing the best possible care.
6. What’s the best approach when planning for future needs?
Use this conversation to weigh your parents’ needs over the long term. If your parents need memory care at some point, can the community meet that need? Think about the costs of care and how your parents’ new home will fit into their long-term financial plan. Do mom and dad have any specific dietary needs that need to be met?
7. How to start talking about the transition from your parents’ old home to their new home?
Think about the logistics of putting your parents’ current home on the market. How will you find the right real estate agent to sell the home? Discuss whether any repairs are needed and if staging is required before the home is shown to potential buyers. Review the floor plans at your parents’ new assisted living community and discuss how mom and dad can bring their own sense of style of their new home. At The Retreat at Sunny Vista, we offer plenty of apartment layouts, all of which offer lots of closet space, a deluxe kitchenette, and personal climate controls.
8. What communities would you want to visit?
Make a list to compare communities and to figure out which ones offer what you’re looking for. Weigh all the pros and cons of each potential home by taking tours. Visit multiple times if you can, and speak with the staff, eat there, and take part in community activities to get a better sense of what your parents’ new home will be like.
How can we help the conversation?
If you want some more insights about how to approach the topic of moving to an Assisted Living facility like The Retreat at Sunny Vista, please reach out to us by calling us at 719-625-3558 or by leaving your contact information at this link. You can also check out this list with additional tips on how to get the conversation started with your parents about taking advantage of an Assisted Living lifestyle.
