How to Talk to Your Parents About Senior Housing

At Oakmont, it is very common for guests to come to our community seeking help on how to talk to their parents about senior housing. Also, how can they help their parents see the value in making a transition into a senior community. Sometimes it is because mom has a health condition and needs help with daily activities or dad could use more nutritious meals and doesn’t want to be burdened with maintaining a home any longer.
According to Greg Becker, new Executive Director at Oakmont of Valencia, planning ahead for future needs is important for all people at all stages of life. However, that conversation can be emotional and hard to have with aging parents. It’s important that we treat them with kindness and respect.
So, how can adult children prepare for this conversation? We believe it’s really important for them to know their parents and their style in order to set realistic expectations for how the conversation is going to go.
Here are some things to think about. Are your parents planners? If so, then they’re going to want to be in control of their decision. They’re going to want to start early, and they’re going to want to know what their options are so they can review them. Are your parents procrastinators? If so, they probably know the benefits of planning ahead, but they’re always in the state of feeling like they’re not ready, they’re too busy or the need to plan is not imminent­—so we recommend you approach that a little bit differently. You would want to offer different types of support, and you may need to spend a little bit more time discussing the risks of not planning ahead and taking small steps so that it doesn’t feel so overwhelming.
At Oakmont, we are dedicated to hearing, understanding and responding to the needs of aging seniors and their families. Oakmont of Valencia and Oakmont of Santa Clarita are pleased to serve the Santa Clarita Valley. Our communities provide exceptional quality, comfort and care with five-star services and amenities. Need Help? Please feel free to call us anytime at 661-210-3340.