Is It Time For Assisted Living? - Part 1 - Having The “You Need Assistance” Talk

It's important to have the conversation with your parents when it's time to move into assisted living. It’s going to be very awkward and feel uncomfortable and a lot like the roles have reversed. At some point, they may need assisted living. Let me show you the conversation that you need to have.

That adult has been independent and they're not gonna ask you for help. Many times a senior, when they're younger and not as in need, transitions better into senior housing. That's more of an independent living situation where they're in their own townhome or apartment but they also have access to a cafeteria and group activities. Most seniors would rather stay in their own home. They'd rather have their own independence.

One good way to transition is to have them volunteer at a home. They can go in and play cards, make a puzzle, or read to those people. They become friends with the residents, and then when it comes time to move into the home it's not as foreign to them. Another way is that you sometimes need a break. You bring somebody into the home on a respite, from a couple of days to a week, and if they have a good experience, that later transition could be natural  At some point something has to be done and that decision made. So you really do need to have that conversation.