It’s hard to think about your aging parent or loved one requiring help with routine tasks of activities of daily living. It can be even harder to get up the nerve to talk with them about these age-related changes or needs, but the time to talk is now. Don’t wait for a family crisis to arise to prompt the need to talk. Decisions made under duress or in the midst of a serious concern – health, financial, legal, relational conflict, or other – can lead to tension and additional strain on family members. So open the discussion early.
Here are six ways your loved one and family will benefit by talking about senior care sooner.
- Less Pressure – By talking about it sooner, your loved one will have time to think through what they need and want to truly find the best fit. As opposed to reacting in a crisis and making a rush decision based on what’s available at the time. Plus, being able to carefully research and vet all the options will also help everyone feel more confident in the decision.
- More Control for Your Loved One – Whether they’ve shared them with you or not, your loved one likely has some specific ideas on senior care. Giving them the opportunity to share their wishes now allows them to take control of their future instead of someone else making these important choices for them.
- Less Family Conflict – Without any specific direction, should your loved one not be able to speak for themselves the family is left to guess what they would want. As you can imagine, this leaves the door open to all sorts of conflicting opinions and additional stress, not to mention strained relationships going forward if you can’t come to consensus.
- Easier Transition – Dealing with an immediate change in your loved one’s health or needs is hard enough, but figuring out the logistics of a move on top of that can be overwhelming. By planning ahead for senior care you’ll all know what to expect which can make the transition more seamless.
- You Can Focus on the Now – You might be surprised at how much weight is off everyone’s shoulders once your loved one has a plan in place for senior care. Not only does it give the family peace of mind that you know how best to support them, you can focus on enjoying the moment with them instead of worrying about the future.
- An Even Closer Relationship – Chances are, both you and your loved one have made some assumptions as to what the other is thinking when it comes to senior care. By opening the lines of communication, and doing so in a way that’s respectful and supportive, you can move forward on the same page with your loved one feeling more comfortable opening up to you.
For more information, contact us today to speak to an advisor or schedule a tour →
