You’ve begun your research and have asked yourself some critical questions about what you truly want out of life. You’ve understood that now is the time to look forward to spending each and every day in a location that truly understands you. And that location happens to be an independent living community. But you are worried about how you should talk about independent living to your adult children. If that sounds familiar, do not worry, we’ve got you covered. Here are some tips for you to broach the topic of independent living with your adult children.
Start Slow
This is about you, and the aim is for you to feel good about your future. However, you have to understand that it is a struggle for your adult children. This is because they have to adjust to the possibility that you will be leaving the house where they grew up. With such a big change coming their way, your children may have some emotional reactions at first. You should not blame yourself for them feeling this way. In fact, you should prepare yourself for “the discussion” to be just one of many. Remember to go slow and be patient. Rushing through these conversations will not be beneficial for anyone.
Address Their Concerns
The next thing you should do is address their concerns. After all, they might have a misconception about what life will be like in independent living. These are all valid that arise because of their care and love for you. Therefore, listen to their concerns and address them one at a time. If your adult children think that life in an independent living community will be boring, you could, for example, show them a list of activity programs that are available regularly in the independent living community. If your adult children are worried about you having no friends in the community, you can mention you will be able to make new friends and even visit old friends with the transportation service in independent living.
Go On Tours
Another way you can improve the talk with your adult children about independent living? Bring the talk to a tour. And that means asking your loved ones to explore the various independent living communities in your area. This allows them to go through the first-hand experience and see how you could fit right into an independent living community. But more than that, you could put their minds at ease as they see how other mature adults have the time of their lives in the community. A scheduled tour is the best way for you to show them that.
The Bottom-Line
Conversations about moving to independent living between adult children and parents are sometimes seen as taboo, making individuals feel very uncomfortable. Unfortunately, failing to have an open dialogue can lead to a slew of issues.
Therefore, whether you’re just starting to think about relocating to an independent community or need help evaluating many choices you’ve previously recognized as excellent possibilities, you’ll want to convey your wants and needs to your adult children clearly and involve them in the process as much as possible.
