Placing a parent in residence is by no means an easy step.
It can even turn into a real obstacle course when the person concerned doesn’t want to go through with it. Convincing her is absolutely essential. This stage can be particularly difficult.
Let’s take a look at the different ways of making parents aware that they that they need to be placed in a home .
How do you make the decision to place your parents in residential care?
This is not a decision that can be made overnight, out of the blue.
It is the result of a long process of reflection and the convergence of several phenomena. The main one is the loss of autonomy of the person(s) concerned.
If your parents are no longer able to provide for themselves, or are generally becoming too inactive, it’s time to start talking to them. This will enable you to gradually make them aware of the inevitable change in their lives, with a potential residential placement. This will put you in a better position to make this difficult decision.
Once this has been done, it’s essential to bring things along gently, always through constructive dialogue.
How do you deal with your parents’ resistance to this eventuality?
The first discussions may not be easy, and you may encounter resistance from your parents.
This is quite normal, and you’ll have to deal with their arguments. Sometimes not very realistic or coherent. If you have brothers or sisters, you’ll need to bring the whole family together and make sure everyone speaks the same language. Differences of opinion are likely to cast doubt on your parents and mislead them.
Always take your parents’ opinions into account, and try to make them aware of the difficulties they face on a daily basis. Introduce them to the many advantages of living in a residence in relation to their own situation, whether in terms of care, assistance with household chores or meal management.
The retirement home is first and foremost a solution designed to improve their quality of life, and several services are available to make their daily lives easier.
Work with your parents to find the best place for them to stay
Placing your parents in a residence means first and foremost letting them choose the place that suits them best.
Discussing this aspect with them is essential, as your parents will probably spend the rest of their lives in this residence, and it seems only natural that it should be the perfect place for them. Secondly, it’s important to avoid feeling guilty about this decision.
The latter becomes indispensable sooner or later. Some parents will certainly feel betrayed, and you’ll have to learn to deal with this reaction.
Others, however, will be perfectly relieved and won’t hold it against you at all. The difference often lies in the way things are presented.
Remember that in any case, moving at this age is often a stressful and unpleasant experience.
