There are many reasons that people delay determining whether a loved one needs to be in an assisted living facility. However, these delays can actually do the care recipient more harm than good. While this will likely never be an easy decision, it is a necessary one. Here are some of the most common roadblocks that occur to delay assisted living decisions and some possible solutions to get around these roadblocks.
Trouble talking with loved ones about senior care. These conversations can be difficult for several reasons. Friends and family members may not see eye to eye about what is right for their senior loved one, and past family conflicts may also add tension to the conversation. It is also sometimes tempting to downplay the extent of the care recipient’s needs because you or other members of the group may not want to acknowledge the decline of the senior loved one’s health and stability.
There are two main issues here that must be addressed and resolved. First, find a way to get beyond issues within yourself and your group, because, to phrase it bluntly, it isn’t about you. It is about what is best for your senior. Once you have reached the mindset of putting your senior’s needs above all else, it is important to be truly honest about what exactly those needs are and whether they require more than what friends and family alone can provide. Bear in mind that these needs can be psychological or social as well as physical.
Your senior loved one does not feel ready. There can be many reasons that a person does not want to enter into an assisted living environment: they do not want to leave their home or pets behind, they are afraid that they will not be well cared for or that they will be bored or isolated, they feel they are losing their independence, or some other reason.
The way to address this issue is through information and discussion. Find out what your senior is concerned about, and acknowledge and discuss those concerns without letting them derail the conversation completely. Instead, provide them with solid information that addresses their concerns and can assuage their fears. It is of course important to have your senior’s input and to listen and acknowledge it, but it is also important to not let that put your loved one at greater risk by delaying what needs to be done.
You feel you need to do more research. Whether it be about costs or quality of care or both, there are so many resources out there that the sheer magnitude can feel overwhelming, which can cause a person to just put it off.
While the temptation to delay for this reason is certainly understandable, it is also possibly detrimental. Medicare.gov is a reliable resource, and there are Senior Living Advisors that can also help. One must simply take that first step to find out.
For more information, contact Unlimited Care Cottages today!
