How to Start the Conversation When Your Loved One Is No Longer Safe At Home

By Patti Naiser

Explaining to your loved one that they are no longer safe living alone could prove to be a difficult conversation to start. Remember the following tips to help ease the strain for you and your loved one.

“Remind them that they are not doing what they love anymore,” says Patti Naiser, president and founder of Senior Home Transitions, “and having help with household chores could reserve some of their energy.”

Patti also recommends letting your loved one know what they will be gaining when moving to assisted living such as friends, social activities, and someone to have a meal with. Additionally, she suggests not approaching anyone with late-stage dementia but rather have a professional help with this transition.

“There is not a one size fits all conversation,” says Ginger Jones, president and co-owner of Diversified Nurse Consultants. “It may depend on their cognitive level on how you should approach them. Those in the early stages of dementia get angry easily, so be prepared to be met with some resistance. Start with statements like: I am concerned about… Make sure to take their wishes into consideration and let them help you with the decision making.”

Ginger also says to educate yourself on the options offered so that you can choose the best possible living situation for your loved one or have an aging life professional guide you along the way.

Take this quiz to find out if your loved one is safe living alone.

Photo by Eberhard Grossgasteiger found on Unsplash.com