Starting the senior living conversation with parents.

Approaching the topic of downsizing and moving to a senior living community doesn’t have to be stressful. Before talking to parents, it’s important to be prepared, gather your thoughts, put ideas on paper, and create a list of topics to help you stay focused. You should also be prepared with answers to 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 only after 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 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.

“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 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 access to a full-service continuum of care is not only convenient—it’s far more cost-efficient than taking your chances on the prevailing cost of pay-as-you-go health care.

“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 the entrance fee is returned to their estate. We’re happy to provide details to their financial and estate advisors so that they can make plans with confidence. Just contact us for details. There’s 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 all far easier than you might think. It includes assistance with downsizing—even helping to donate or sell items and shipping heirlooms to family. Our planners can visit your parents’ 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 real estate agent, stage their home for a successful sale 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.

“We 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 visit. They can see for themselves what community life means 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.”
Too many people tell us that. In a community, with a complete 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 parents are cared for. Whatever living options your parents may be considering—independent living, personal care, or skilled nursing—please bring your questions to us. We’re here to help.