The time comes in many adult children's lives when the roles become reversed, and it is suddenly the responsibility of the child to take care of their aging parents. However, more often then not, adult children are too overwhelmed with their own lives to take on this added responsibility, which is one reason why downsizing to an assisted living facility is such a popular option. Making the decision to move your parents into an assisted living facility or memory care facility is one of the most difficult ones a person can make, but by following these tips, you will be able to make the transition as painless as possible for all parties involved.
Have Regular Conversation About The Future
Long before there are any signs of need for a move to an assisted living facility, it is prudent to speak with your parents about where they see themselves in the future, as compared to where you see them. By broaching the idea early on, it will make the transition easier when it comes time to take action.
Deal With Downsizing
Perhaps the hardest part for senior parents moving to assisted living is downsizing, and understandably so. For most, they have spent the better part of their lives in their home, amassing their possessions. So it only stands to reason that parting with them will be difficult. To make things easier, create a scale drawing of the new space that they will be living. This will give them a better idea of the size of the space they'll be moving into, and what furniture and possessions can be kept. It might also be helpful for your parents to know where their things are going when the time comes to part with them. Consider donating items to a charity of their choice or giving them to heirs, where they will go to the homes of their children and grandchildren.
Settling Power Of Attorney
A reality for aging parents is a decline in health, which can raise many difficult and confusing issues if not settled in advance. Power of Attorney and who it will go to is one of the tougher decisions to make, because with it comes the added responsibility of handling the financials and any health concerns that might arise. All future decisions regarding the care of the parents in the assisted living facility will be better managed if a Power of Attorney can be arranged beforehand.
While still a difficult decision for any adult child to make, it becomes a manageable one with the many top-tier assisted living facilities available, which will make the transition and closing of one chapter of a life and opening of a new one that much easier. Contact a business, such as Valley View Retirement Community, for more information.
Share3 March 2016
When I started looking for a care center for my mother, I decided that I needed to learn a little more about nursing home amenities. I wanted her to be in a safe, happy, fun place, but I didn't know what to look for. To make my search easier, I picked up a piece of paper and a pen and started calling different facilities. I made a list of all of the exciting, new features that places were offering, and then I showed the list to my mom. I let her decide where to stay and what she wanted to do. This blog is all about recognizing great nursing home amenities, so that you can keep the people that you love happy and content.