There’s no avoiding it. Your aging parent needs more care than you and your siblings can provide in your parent’s home. It’s time to have “the talk” of this generation. That is, the discussion about hiring help or encouraging your parent move to senior living.
Broaching the Topic of Senior Care
But how do you go about doing so?
Don’t blindside your siblings by bringing up the topic without warning. This permits siblings from out of state to travel so you can meet in person. It will also give you time to prepare for senior care options.
Prepare Your EvidenceIf you’re the primary caregiver, you are the person who knows your parent’s struggle the best. Document all the objective evidence you have that your parent needs help.
Enter the discussion with your primary objective in mind. Do you want your siblings to help out more? Or is it time for your parent to find in-home senior care.
Listen to Your Sibling’s Ideas and Suggestions
If your siblings offer to pitch in to alleviate some of the burden, you might want to create a plan of action and agree to try it for a month or two. Keep the possibility of an assisted living community in the back of your mind to re-visit later.
Try to Avoid Falling into Your Old RolesWhen adult siblings gather, it’s almost impossible to avoid falling into your childhood roles. The older sibling may try to take charge even if it’s the middle child who spends the most time with their mom or dad.
This means putting egos aside and realizing that, even though you share the same parents, your views on life may be very different from your siblings’.
Everyone involved deserves to have their say, although the ultimate decision may fall on your parent or the primary caregiver.
Senior Care for Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Owasso, Sand Springs, Sapulpa, Bartlesville, Muskogee and more.