What is more important than family? Especially when it comes down to making big decisions about senior living, family carries a lot of influence. It can also lead to frustrations, with differences in opinions and personal expectations conflicting. Nonetheless, family members, and adult children especially, are incredibly influential when it comes to choosing a senior living community, according to seniorlivingmag.com. Making sure everyone’s expectations are the same is critical to the process. Here are a few areas where family influence and expectations can help seniors choose a senior living community.
- Initial evaluation – Except in cases of severe medical needs, it can be easy to downplay the need for help. Allowing a trusted family member to come in and help assess can help to create more of a clear and complete picture of overall well-being. From here, with a clear perspective, more decisions can be made and priorities listed, helping to narrow down choices in senior living communities.
- Selecting a community – Bringing along a family member as you explore the options for senior living communities can be incredibly helpful. A second perspective may see things in a way that you on your own don’t, or ask questions you would never think to ask. They could also help you evaluate what you do or don’t like about particular communities, and narrow down the choices from an impossible range to a more manageable few.
- Adjusting to a new home – There’s nothing like family to make you feel comfortable in a new home. The moving process can be incredibly stressful, especially when it comes to downsizing from a larger home into a smaller space. Inviting a family member to walk alongside you as you transition out of one home and into another can be a huge benefit and relief.
- Continued support – Even after the initial move and transition, family can help improve your living situation. Learning all the ins and outs of a new community can be a lot of fun, and it can be even more fun when you maintain your connection with family and can share all the wonderful new experiences you are having in your senior living.
Family is a complex part of life, one that brings a great amount of joy, influence, and meaning. Including your family in your senior living is especially meaningful and beneficial. With differing expectations, miscommunication springs up easily, but we hope that our tips will help you to have a good idea of how to manage family expectations in senior living. University Village retirement community is always open to including your family members in a tour of our facilities and we welcome your unique perspective in our community.
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