Preparing to Talk about the Prospect of Moving to Assisted Living

April 7, 2015 by ·

Assisted Living in Fairhope AL

One of the greatest challenges that some people face is talking to an elderly family member about the prospect of Assisted Living in Fairhope ALlong-term care. There are numerous options from which to choose, including assisted living.

Some people shut down any conversation when it begins to turn its way toward assisted living. The reasons for this can vary from one person to the next, but the common thread is the feeling of lost independence, missed opportunities, and associating this type of living situation with a nursing home care.

Assisted living and nursing home care are completely different. The common misconceptions that people have are associated more with nursing home care where individuals require a significant amount of direct medical assistance on a regular basis, including around the clock. Assisted-living is an independent living situation in which elderly individuals move into an apartment style facility or community and can live as independently as they want or receive some type of assistance for various needs.

For example, people at an assisted living facility may be able to prepare their own meals in their own eat in kitchen, if the facility has these types of rooms available. If they don’t want to make their own food on a particular day, they could go to the eating facility, which is commonly very similar to an actual restaurant and it is located in the building itself.  If the resident feels uncomfortable or unsteady on his or her feet one day, he or she may call for assistance from one of the staff members for assistance.

Beginning a conversation about the prospect of moving into an assisted living community begins by learning as much as possible. If the family members don’t know much about these types of living situations, how would they be able to address concerns, questions, or even misconceptions the elderly individual will have?

For people who are thinking about talking to their elderly loved one about assisted-living, they should first gather as much information about the various activities, amenities, and options that are available.  Being prepared is one of the best steps towards encouraging a family member or other elderly loved one that this is the right option. The more prepared a person is, the easier it is going to be for he or she to dispel certain misconceptions the elderly individual has about assisted living.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Assisted Living near Fairhope, AL, contact Ashbury Manor Specialty Care and Assisted Living at 251-317-3017.

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About Cindy Johnson

Ashbury Manor’s Administrator since 2008, Cindy Johnson is a long-time expert in the assisted living field. Prior to her arrival at Ashbury Manor, Cindy managed acquisitions and crisis management for existing and new larger senior care project developments for eleven years. As regional manager for an Oregon-based assisted living management company, Cindy was directly responsible for operations for five 50-65 bed assisted living facilities. As manager during the transition to new ownership, Cindy reorganized internal operations and conducted leadership training for Executive Directors. As a result of her management and expertise, one of the company’s facilities (in Ocala, Florida) received a deficiency-free survey, resulting in the lifting of a moratorium on operation.

A nurse for 36 years, senior care has always been Cindy’s passion. Desiring to work more closely with residents, Cindy became a Category II Administrator in 2005. As Ashbury Manor’s Administrator, Cindy understands the complexities associated with dementia and cognitive impairment and she has fallen in love with seniors with dementia or cognitive impairment and their families.

Cindy is Treasurer of the local “Senior Coalition” chapter. She enjoys mentoring new candidates who want to become administrators.

As a 16-bed facility, with Cindy's training and experience, our residents and their families can be sure Ashbury Manor’s carefully selected staff provides the expertise of a larger facility while maintaining the individualized personal care of a small special needs home.
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