Ask Helen

Start Planning Early ToAvoid Reacting To Seniors’Changing Needs

BY Helen Shaham

Q.My widowed 85-year-olduncle recently had a health scareand we’ve decided that a senior living community may be in his bestinterest. We seem to be reactingrather than researching his housingoptions. What could we have donedifferently?

A.Selecting the right seniorliving community is one of the mostimportant housing decisions a senior and their loved ones willever make. Planning and operatingin ‘crisis mode’ makes the processsignificantly more stressful.

Many factors may precipitate amove to a senior living communityincluding the death of a spouse oran illness. The key to minimizingthe tension, should you be facedwith one of these scenarios, is tobegin researching in advance; before the need arises.

A conversation with your uncleabout his preferences such as wherehe’d like to live, services he requires and activities he enjoys isalso critical. By asking the rightquestions, you can quickly narrowdown your list of prospective communities.

Adult children should also remember that a common fearamong seniors as they age is theloss of control. It’s imperative to involve them in the decision asmuch as possible so they still feelinvolved and know it’s their decision.

The next step is to narrow the list ofprospective communities. You maywant to work from a checklist,matching your loved one’s preferences and needs to what isbeing offered by the community.

When the checklist is complete,begin visiting the communities.Remember the frailer seniors become, the more they will findthese tours tiring. It’s best to visiton your own to eliminate placesthey wouldn’t like to live beforevisiting together. And don’t forgetthat many senior living communities have informative websites with photos, activity calendarsand/or sample menus.

Be sure to ask the following questions before finalizing the decision:

To help a parent or elderly familymember get acclimated to their newhome, have them visit for lunch ordinner. The residents at most seniorliving communities, not unlike ThePalace Suites, are empathetic andlook forward to welcoming theirnew neighbors. Staff members willalso try to ease anxiety by introducing them to a resident who may share a similar interest orhobby.

Also, review the community’s daily calendar to see if there are any activities that pique the interest ofyour loved ones. At our community,the entertainment director plans over300 monthly classes and activitiesranging from sitting aerobics toHappy Hour with nightly entertainment.

The transition may be stressful andit’s wise to plan to stay a few days tohelp seniors get comfortable. If youlive out of town, check-in moreoften, especially during the initialfew days. Be prepared to hear complaints during the first fewweeks following the move as theytransition to their new lifestyle.

To avoid reacting to future seniorhousing decisions, be proactive inyour research. You’ll find that byfollowing these steps, you and yourelderly relative will enjoy the peaceof mind knowing that the best senior living community was selected.

Helen Shaham and her husbandJacob have been operatingretirement communities for nearly 30years. The Palace Suites in Kendallis a luxury Independent LivingCommunity for active seniors. Inaddition, The Palace at Kendallcampus is home to two Assisted Living Residences and a Nursing &Rehab Center. They also operate ThePalace Gardens Assisted LivingCommunity in Homestead,Homestead Manor Nursing Homeand The Palace @ Home, aMedicare Certified Home HealthAgency. Their two newest projectsare The Palace at Weston – luxuryliving for those 55 and over, and ThePalace Tel-Aviv, a continuing careretirement community in Israel. Theyhave two communities under development – The Palace at WestonSenior Living and The Palace atCoral Gables. More information canbe found on the company website,www.thepalace.org or by calling305-270-7000.