In our last blog, we helped you prepare yourself for the conversation with your parents or loved one about the prospect of Assisted Living/Senior Care. If you missed that article, click here to read “How to prepare for the conversation.”

Having helped you set the stage for that important conversation, today, we want to share a few questions you might consider asking your loved one/s. As with many difficult subjects, beginning the discussion is often the hardest part. These conversation starters may help you open that dialogue and move the conversation forward a little at a time:

• How is it living at home alone? Do you still feel safe? (You may want to mention specific safety concerns such as managing medications, falling on stairs, struggles in the bathtub or kitchen. Crime may be another fear they haven’t shared with you.)

• • Do you have a plan for long-term care? For example, if you fell or got sick and couldn’t take care of yourself at home, where would you go? How would you pay for it?

• Do you feel lonely at times? Would you like to spend more time with people your age?

• How do you feel about driving? Would you be interested in other options for transportation, so you don’t have to worry about getting where you need to go, i.e., car maintenance costs, traffic, parking, etc.?

• Would you like to have your meals prepared for you?

• Would it be helpful to have someone order and supervise your medications?

• Is it ever hard to manage your finances and keep up with paying your bills?

• Do you ever think about getting a helping hand with housekeeping and laundry?

• Would you feel less stress if you didn’t have to worry about the house repairs and maintenance or lawn care?

Open-ended questions are the best way to encourage them to talk. Ask a question and then sit back and really listen to their answer. If that goes well, see if there is an additional question that might naturally follow in progression, but you don’t want to rifle questions at them. Also, keep in mind that raising questions doesn’t mean you are making any decisions or commitments immediately. This decision is a process, and it will take time to navigate through many issues. These questions are just the next step to the plant the idea by opening their eyes to address any concerns they may have about their present living situation and help them start thinking about ways Assisted Living could benefit them.

In our next blog, we will address “How to have a conversation about Assisted Living with a loved one.”