Moving an aging parent to a senior living community isn’t an easy decision. After all, it’s difficult to watch the people who once took care of you decline to the point they need help with everyday tasks. Many people feel it’s their duty to take care of their elderly parents. Having to admit they can no longer handle the responsibilities may feel as though they’re giving up on Mom and Dad.
In truth, deciding it’s time to consider an assisted living community in Oceanside, CA for an elderly parent isn’t giving up. It’s simply taking measures to ensure your parent receives the care he or she needs from highly trained professionals. It’s also a matter of making your own life much less stressful. It could even improve your relationship with the parent you’re taking care of.
Coping with Elderly Parents Who Are in Denial
All that being said, many elderly Americans struggle to admit they can no longer live on their own. They want to age in place, enjoying the freedom and independence of spending their golden years in their own homes. The thought of needing help with bathing, dressing, cooking, and other tasks may seem a bit frightening to them. Some don’t even realize the extent to which they need help.
Because of that, they may be unwilling to consider assisted living. Approaching the matter with them could lead to serious arguments, or they may shut down and refuse to discuss the situation. Either way, you’ll get nowhere.
When bringing up the topic of moving to an assisted living community, consider approaching the matter from your point of view rather than theirs. Let them know you love them but are concerned for their health and safety. Perhaps you could explain to them that spending time catering to their needs is detracting from your relationship with your spouse and children.
Along the way, avoid telling elderly parents they’re a burden. Granted, there’s a fine line between explaining how much of a toll providing care for seniors can take on a person and making that person feel guilty. Still, with the right words and a calm demeanor, making an aging parent see the situation from your perspective may be enough to convince them that assisted living is the best option.
Using Outside Resources
In some cases, persuading elderly parents that they’re no longer capable of taking care of themselves requires a bit more action. They may feel angry or indignant that their children are telling them they’re incapable of carrying on with their lives without help. If so, outside intervention may be necessary.
Several measures foster the process of transitioning a parent to assisted living. Joining forces with siblings or other family members could certainly be effective as long as everyone approaches the parents in a calm, caring manner rather than allowing anger or frustration to enter the mix. Asking your parents’ friends for their input could be helpful as well.
Having a medical professional present the matter to an aging parent may also be beneficial. To an elderly parent, it may feel as though their adult children are simply being mean or trying to take away their freedom. If their trusted physician recommends assisted living or memory care, though, it may give them a change of perspective.
In some instances, it may be necessary to take the situation a bit further. That’s particularly true if living alone could place an aging parent in danger or lead to declining health. In such a case, you may need to seek legal assistance to gain power of attorney over your parents. That will allow you to make the right decision to keep him or her safe and healthy.
Making the Right Decision for Your Aging Parent
At Ocean Hills Senior Living, we’re here to provide the best possible care for our residents. We offer assisted and independent living as well as memory care. Our compassionate and highly trained team members cater to residents’ mental, physical, and nutritional needs with ongoing care, activities, and an array of other services.
Deciding it’s time to transition an aging parent to assisted living isn’t easy. Convincing your parent that’s the best option may be even more difficult. Think back to when you were a child. Sometimes, Mom and Dad made decisions that probably seemed unfair to you. Ultimately, though, they were made with your best interests in mind.
Mom and Dad didn’t enjoy going against your wishes, and they certainly didn’t enjoy you being angry at them as a result. Still, their ultimate goal was to keep you safe. Now that the tables are turned, you may have to endure the same difficulties. In the end, though, you know in your heart that assisted living is the right solution to meet an aging parent’s growing and changing needs.