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8 Tips for a Better Conversation with your parents about Assisted Living

At The Retreat at Sunny Vista, we know having your parents move to an Assisted Living community is a big decision for the entire family. It’s a move that should include a sincere conversation with your parents about what they’re looking for in a new community and how Assisted Living can fit the next chapter in their life. Here are some tips on starting the conversation with mom and dad about how they might benefit from life at an Assisted Living community.

  1. Make everyone part of the conversation. Make a commitment to let everyone have their say about this transition, especially your parents. They will be impacted by the move to an Assisted Living community more than anyone else, so be ready to talk through any questions and feedback they have. Discuss what they envision when they think about the ideal community where they want to live. Also give yourself the opportunity to talk with your parents about how this move could provide them an extra hand with their everyday chores.
  2. Commit to an ongoing conversation. This decision will likely require a series of conversations. If possible, find times when the entire family can meet with your parents in person, so you can talk face-to-face about this transition.
  3. Make lists. Have a pen and paper ready, so you can make an outline of everyone’s feedback, questions, or concerns. Having a list of the key issues everyone wants addressed can help guide your search as you look for the Assisted Living community that could become your parents’ new home. For example, think about how a community’s proximity to family members factors into this decision, whether your parents can take advantage of rehabilitative care at their community if they ever need it, if mom and dad can take their pets with them to their new home, and what kinds of safety features are built into their new apartment to prevent slips and falls.
  4. Talk about the benefits of Assisted Living. The value of the services an Assisted Living community would provide should be part of the conversation. You can discuss how your parents would get help with their daily routine, such as medication management and getting ready for the day. You can also talk about how an Assisted Living community will free them from household chores and open the door to life-enhancing amenities. At The Retreat at Sunny Vista, for example, we strive to maximize each resident’s independence while providing housekeeping and linen services, fine dining, a movie theater, salon, happy hours, and a state-of-the-art fitness facility on a campus with stunning views of Pikes Peak outside Colorado Springs. Sunny Vista also offers a holistic approach to nourishing the five pillars of each resident’s wellness by providing social connections, intellectual engagement, opportunities for purposeful living, spiritual growth, and by supporting the physical health of the members of our community.
  5. Talk about the Assisted Living team who will support your parents. Have a discussion about what you’re looking for in the caregivers who will be there to support your parents. You’ll want a community with providers who have the training and experience needed to provide this type of care. Here at The Retreat at Sunny Vista, we like to say that our dedicated group of caregivers treats every resident as a member of our own family. And we consider each resident’s family to be a part of the team in providing the best possible care.
  6. Plan for future needs. Use this conversation to weigh your parents’ needs over the long term. If your parents need memory care at some point, can the community meet that need? Think about the costs of care and how your parents’ new home will fit into their long-term financial plan. Do mom and dad have any specific dietary needs that need to be met?
  7. Talk about the transition from your parents’ old home to their new home. Think about the logistics of putting your parents’ current home on the market. How will you find the right real estate agent to sell the home? Discuss whether any repairs are needed and if staging is required before the home is shown to potential buyers. Review the floor plans at your parents’ new Assisted Living community and discuss how mom and dad can bring their own sense of style of their new home. At The Retreat at Sunny Vista, we offer plenty of apartment layouts, all of which offer lots of closet space, a deluxe kitchenette, and personal climate controls.
  8. Think about the communities you want to visit. Make a list to compare communities and to figure out which ones offer what you’re looking for. Weigh all the pros and cons of each potential home by taking tours. Visit multiple times if you can, and speak with the staff, eat there, and take part in community activities to get a better sense of what your parents’ new home will be like.

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Pinnacle Customer Experience Award

Pinnacle Award logo White - Assisted LivingSunny Vista Senior Living is excited to announce that the Living Center at Sunny Vista and the Retreat at Sunny Vista have both been awarded the 2022 Pinnacle Customer Experience Award. We’re so proud of this award because it recognizes caregivers who consistently provide best-in-class care, and it’s based on feedback from residents and their families.

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How can we help the conversation?

If you want some more insights about how to approach the topic of moving to an Assisted Living facility like The Retreat at Sunny Vista, please reach out to us by calling us at 719-625-3558 or by leaving your contact information at this link. You can also check out this list with additional tips on how to get the conversation started with your parents about taking advantage of an Assisted Living lifestyle.

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