Where to Begin: Senior Living for My Loved One
When children seek out senior living for a parent, they often have many concerns. They may worry that their mother will feel isolated in a senior living community or that their father will receive subpar care.
But at Havenwood Heritage Heights, we do everything in our power to ensure that your loved one retires with dignity. Since 1967, we have provided the sons and daughters of seniors with immense peace of mind. Families put their trust in our senior living community because we offer a full spectrum of high-quality care, from independent living to rehabilitation – so much so that we have generational residents at our communities!
Despite this, we still understand if you’re hesitant to move your mother or father to a senior living community. After all, you want what’s best for them. To help you make a sound decision, we have compiled a resource guide that meets families where they are.
Phase I: Doing the Research
It’s completely normal to feel overwhelmed when you begin exploring senior living communities for a loved one. You likely have questions about care options, wellness initiatives, and if your mom or dad will even be happy in this environment. Doing your research will ease your mind and allow you to move forward.
Is Now the Right Time for Senior Living for Your Loved One?
Knowing when to transition a parent to a senior living community can be difficult. However, if your loved one is struggling to keep pace with daily chores or needs assistance with tasks like bathing or cooking, a change is needed. Familiarize yourself with the telltale signs that now is the time for senior living. Many of our residents often say “Don’t wait, move while you are able to manage the move and enjoy the new lifestyle.”
Finding the Right Care Option
The best care option for your parent is one that offers high-quality support while promoting a spirit of independence. Different communities offer different levels of care – from independent and assisted living to skilled nursing and rehabilitation. Before choosing a senior living community, educate yourself on the difference between each care option.
Financial Planning for Senior Living
Aging-in-Place vs. Senior Living
Phase II: Weighing Your Options
If you’re ready to take the next step toward providing your loved one with high-quality active living with care at your fingertips should the need arise, congratulations! Though coming to terms with your mom or dad’s changing needs isn’t easy, this decision will benefit your entire family. To successfully navigate this phase, review the resources below.
Talking to Parents About Senior Living
Loved ones don’t always agree about long-term care solutions. Sometimes, parents feel like their children are trying to shift the burden of care when, in reality, they just want what’s best for them. To successfully navigate these tough conversations, it helps to prepare beforehand.
How to Evaluate CCRCs
It’s important to identify a senior living community where your parent will be comfortable. To do this, sit down with your mom or dad and create a list of non-negotiables like location, price, and floor plan. Review and list out these important factors to help you evaluate senior living communities.
Phase III: Moving Forward With Your Choice
After finding the right fit for your mother or father, don’t stray from your choice. Though you may have second thoughts about long-term care, remember that your parent deserves to thrive in a safe and secure community surrounded by like-minded people. However, before they can begin living a maintenance-free lifestyle, there’s still a bit more work to be done.
Tips for Downsizing
After existing in the same house for decades, many older adults are intimidated by the thought of downscaling. They may worry about fitting their possessions into an apartment home, especially if certain objects have sentimental value. However, with some preparation, the moving process can actually be cathartic.
How to Smoothly Transition to Senior Living
How to Transition from Caregiver to Advocate
When your parent moves to a senior living community, you may feel lonely, anxious or even guilty that you’re no longer providing day-to-day care. Though it’s important to process these emotions, you must also redirect your energy into becoming an effective advocate.
Alzheimer’s & Dementia Resources
It can be heartbreaking to watch a parent experience the cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s or dementia. They may forget how to enjoy their favorite hobbies, like knitting or woodworking. Or, worse yet, they may put themselves in danger by wandering, taking the wrong medications or forgetting to turn off the oven.
Since Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease, there will come a time when your mother or father can no longer live independently. With this in mind, we encourage all families to begin exploring memory care options sooner rather than later. To learn more about memory care, review these resources.
Explore Senior Living at Havenwood Heritage Heights
Havenwood Heritage Heights is one of just three accredited continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) located in New Hampshire. As a CCRC, we offer residents a continuum of support, including independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing and rehabilitation. That means your parent’s needs will be met, no matter what.
At Havenwood Heritage Heights, we’re also dedicated to helping your mother or father enjoy their golden years. Thanks to our host of services and amenities, residents can skip mowing the lawn and instead go for a nature walk. Or, they can let our staff handle that leaky faucet while they go fishing. However your parent imagined spending their retirement, they can do it here on our campus.
To learn more about our senior living community, contact us today. You can also talk to a member of our friendly staff by calling us at 800-457-6833.