Whenever you think of lifes big moments, its hard to find one without Mom and Dad. Theyve been an unwavering source of comfort, inspiration and strength. So when its time to talk to your parents about assisted living, you might find yourself overwhelmed with emotions.Youre not alone. Many adult children face the arduous task of finding a safe place for their parents to age. However, you can make the transition a lot less stressful for everyone by following these 4 steps in planning for assisted living with your parents.1. Hold a family meeting.The choice to transition into assisted living is life-changing, which is why its essential for your parents and supportive family members to be involved in the process as much as possible. The best way to get the conversation about assisted living started is by holding a family meeting.Here are some tips on how to hold a family meeting about transitioning your parents to assisted living:Include everyone who will be part of the caregiving team for your parents. This could include family members, close friends, neighbors, their minister, or a paid caregiver.Prepare an agenda to keep communication successful and the group focused on supporting your parents. Be sure to stick to a clear timetable, so you dont overwhelm those attending the meeting.Choose a comfortable setting to keep tension low and positivity high. Find a location that has adequate seating and few distractions.Make sure everyone is heard. Moving your parents into assisted living can stir up emotions for everyone involved. People are more willing to talk about the situation if they feel they have a safe place to speak.2. Evaluate their needs.An in-person visit with their primary care physician is the ideal way to accurately evaluate the needs of your aging parents. Not only will you get a comprehensive evaluation of their functional abilities, youll get an assessment of their physical health, too.In order to provide the right level of care, their doctor will evaluate how well your mom or dad perform Activities of Daily Living, or ADLs . These are activities in which your parents engage on a day-to-day basis, such as:BathingEatingDressingGroomingOral hygieneClimbing stairsWalkingUsing the toiletYou also need to evaluate how well your parents perform Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, or IADLS. Adults need to perform these activities in order to live a successful, independent life. Evaluating IADLS is also a way to measure what level of care your parents might need when they enter assisted living. Examples include:CookingDriving or using public transportationDoing houseworkKeeping track of financesDoing laundryUsing the phone and looking up numbersManaging medications3. Create a sound financial plan for assisted living.After youve determined the level of care your mom or dad might need, its time to take a deep look at what your family can afford on a monthly basis. Most families use private funds to pay for assisted living. Your parents may be able to pay for this by combining their personal savings, Social Security payments, pension payments and retirement accounts; they may also be willing to sell their home. In some cases, adult children may contribute some of their own funds to supplement their parents resources.You may be surprised to find out the average cost of assisted living is about the same as the cost of at-home care, which is when you choose to spend retirement in your home. However, aging in place comes with a big caveat: major home renovations.To live safely at home, your parents will probably need rooms in their home, like the bathroom and kitchen, completely reworked. This could end up costing more money and stress than originally planned.Talk to your parents about their finances and discuss the difference between aging-in-place and choosing a community that offers assisted living. That way, you can be sure youre choosing the right path for your parents retirement.4. Delight in exploring the possibilities.Assisted living communities are not the dreary and sleepy halls you may remember at your grandparents nursing home. Upscale assisted living offers unsurpassed care, services, and amenities that help your mom and dad thrive through every stage of their retirement.Housekeeping and laundry services eliminate many daily concerns, scheduled activities help your parents stay social, and state-of-the-art fitness facilities keep them active. Theyll also have convenient access to lifes little luxuries like a hair salon, restaurant-style dining, and scheduled transportation for fun-filled shopping trips.While your parents are spending their retirement in style at a luxury community offering assisted living, you can rest easy knowing their health is always in caring hands.LIVE LIFE THE SANTA MARTA WAY WITH LUXURY ASSISTED LIVING IN OLATHE, KSDiscover Tuscan-inspired views, top-of-the-line amenities, and world-class cuisine at Santa Marta. Not only will your parents be able to enjoy the fabulous amenities and services we offer, but theyll be able to receive uniquely tailored care as their health needs change.To schedule a tour or learn more about our assisted living neighborhood and other senior living options, contact us online, and a senior living counselor will get in touch with you as soon as possible.
