Talking to Your Parents
How to Talk to Your Parents About Making a Move
When you’re helping your parents deal with the challenges of the retirement years, get guidance from experts: Springpoint Senior Living. Springpoint is New Jersey’s largest nonprofit provider of senior living and care services. Families turn to us for sound advice on healthcare, wellness and financial issues. Our first obligation is to give good counsel and offer options so that you and your parents can make well-informed decisions together, no matter what you decide.
You’ll find resources right here on this website, but please contact us with your questions on any senior care issue.
Approaching the topic about downsizing a home and moving to a senior living community doesn’t have to be a stressful situation. Before talking to your parents, it’s important to be prepared, gather your thoughts, put ideas down on paper or create a list of topics to help you stay focused. Additionally, be prepared with answers to the common objections about moving to a senior living community. These objections usually include:
“We’re just not ready yet.”
Too often, people decide that they’re ready when a health crisis strikes. By that time, they have fewer options—and the choices they do have are more expensive.
The time to start looking at senior living is before they’re “ready”—while they’re healthy, can participate in the decision-making process and can take full advantage of community life. Our residents will usually tell you, “I wish I’d come here five years ago.”
Are they ready for fewer household chores and more free time for the things they love? Are they ready for wonderful dining, new friends and stimulating fun? The best way to find out is to visit us, so they can see for themselves. Schedule a personal tour today.
“We can’t afford it.”
It sometimes seems like staying in their house is the most affordable choice—until you compare their actual monthly costs with everything included at a senior living community. Our residents have found that you can get a lot more service, pleasure and security without paying a lot more. That may surprise your parents. Also, with such a wide range of styles and sizes, Springpoint communities offer residences for a wide range of budgets and tastes—as well as a diverse number of financial options. It costs nothing to find out more.
Perhaps the most important aspect of value is the security you have when you put a sound plan in place for future healthcare needs. Having a full-service continuum of care on site is not only convenient—it’s far more cost-efficient than taking your chances on the prevailing cost of pay-as-you-go healthcare.
“We’re afraid of spending down our assets.”
That’s a common concern, but our communities offer a refundable entrance fee program, so a portion of their entrance fee is returned to their estate. We are happy to provide details to their financial and estate advisors, so that they can make plans with confidence. Contact us for details.
There is no riskier way to deal with your assets than to wait too long, find yourself in a health crisis and be forced to spend down your life savings to provide the care you need.
“We just can’t face selling the house and moving.”
Our Move Ahead Program makes it far easier than you may think. It includes assistance with downsizing—even helping to donate or sell items and ship heirlooms to family. Our planners can visit their home and help them fit their treasures into a new floor plan that shows their antiques and favorite furniture in a beautiful new light.
Move Ahead helps them find the right realtor, stage their home for a successful sale, and even offers financing assistance, so they can move to the community before they sell their house.
When it’s time to move, we work with trusted moving partners to pack, ship and unpack everything—seamlessly.
“I don’t want to live in one of ‘those places.’”
They may have a false impression of a senior living community, based on clichéd notions of a “nursing home.” One visit will help dispel that idea: our communities are lively places, where people really enjoy life more. Our residents come from all walks of life—teachers, business leaders, engineers, artists, musicians, and veterans—with wonderful friendships to share.
Science has proven that people actually grow stronger and prevent decline when they live in a community that nurtures wellness and social engagement. That’s one reason we invite prospective residents to come for a visit. They can see for themselves what community life has meant to the people who live here.
Isolation and routine contribute to aging. Community life can be the gateway to longer, healthier, happier lives.
“We don’t want to be a burden to our children.”
So many people tell us that. In a community, with a complete healthcare infrastructure ready for virtually any emergency, they can relax and enjoy life. We can respond with the right help immediately when their children can’t. Friends—both neighbors and staff—love them and look out for them every day. Their families can have peace of mind, knowing that their parents are cared for.
No matter what kind of options your parents may be considering—independent living, personal care or skilled nursing—please bring your questions to us. We’re here to help. Contact us today to learn more about our vibrant Life Plan communities in New Jersey and Delaware.