There are few discussion subjects within a family that are as difficult to initiate as the delicate subject of care with an elderly relative.

We understand how difficult this can be and the extra questions it brings up as a result. There is no substitute for speaking with a professional before embarking on this journey which can start with a simple conversation with one of our team.

Rest assured, you are not the only person who finds this difficult, many people do every day, across the UK. Here are some pointers to help you guide the conversation and avoid making a difficult situation harder for you or your loved one.

1. Do Your Homework

  • It pays to do your research on care homes first. You will want to know things like the likely weekly fee or how care home fees are calculated, and you will want to be fluent in explaining these if asked, so make sure you understand these first
  • Look around to find a suitable care home. It might be the location of the care home, what type of services the care home offers, or something like activities and events that happen at the care home. A quick phone call or brochure download from the home’s website should provide you with this information.

2. Ensure the Right People Are There

  • It may be that your family member or loved one responds better to a certain person. If so, now is the time to make sure they are present at the conversation about care. Trust is everything in this situation so whoever that person is, it may be worth making sure they are on-side before
  • DON’T surprise them with a carer or another member of a care home team. This is disrespectful and will likely make a difficult situation more difficult. By all means, speak to someone first, but strictly only friends and/or family at the first discussion.

3. Give It Time

  • For starters, pick a good time of day for both of you. Don’t arrange it too close to another appointment and make sure there is ample time for questions and answers and maybe even a decision
  • Don’t rush your loved one into making a decision and give them time to think about it on their own. Very few people will jump at the chance immediately because of the stigma attached to moving to a care home. However, once presented with the details of a good care home, people are often surprised at what is available and start to imagine themselves in that situation.

If you are looking to decide on which elderly care is right for you, or how to broach this and other difficult conversations about care and caring, then get in touch with us.

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