“No way am I moving! I have only fallen three times.”
“I am not ready” – it sounds like a mantra. But I am not just talking about seniors in need; I have also heard this from some family members in their searching for a place for their mom or dad. Eventually, their sense of urgency will diminish over time. However, their sense of urgency was there and in most cases is still there. So what has happened for this to take place?
Some people can become used to responding to “emergencies”. Eventually the excitement of the moment settles down but it does not change what occurred. It becomes the new norm and the need still remains. It may be the difficulty of having that conversation as suggested in my previous article, 5 Tips for Having “The Conversation”. It may be that the sibling who disagrees with moving is usually the one who participates little to none in the actual care.
Another reason for “I’m not ready yet” is just getting the adequate information you need to make an informative and a more assuring decision.
Maybe it is not being familiar enough in what to look for in choosing a home. When it comes down to it, one needs to get a sense of the people that will be caring for mom or dad. Buildings don’t care for people they just need to be configured in a way to support aging in place, such as size, so mom or dad can get down the corridor to the dining room or a cozy or more private area to socialize. It is about good caring people and experienced leadership that you can come to trust to care for mom or dad.
Don’t put off the inevitable, it will affect mom or dad enjoying a better quality of life sooner.
After all, what prompted you in the first place to search, research and make that contact? Was it falls, taking medicines inappropriately, often missing doses, too many visits to the hospital or doctor? Was it eating poorly or quick fixing meals, such as, soup every day, peanut butter sandwiches, processed, packaged or expired food? How about the burners being left on, or more clutter or cleaning issues? Has socialization been largely reduced to visiting doctors, weddings and funerals?
Well what we can say is that the search or contact was made because either experiencing the situation directly or indirectly or having good intuition or instinct. So I encourage you to follow that lead.
When experience matters, peace of mind follows. So choose “Peace of Mind” that addresses Lifestyle Solutions that are unique to St Francis Villa Assisted Living.
Proudly serving the New Orleans, Metairie & Kenner region for more than 22 years.
-Greg Deris, Owner
