Senior Living Can Be Fun

| Tuesday, January 24, 2012
By Ivor Goligher


If you are now faced with the difficulty of putting one of your loved ones in assisted living you may be asking yourself what the best way to tell them is. You are probably worried that they will feel less loved by you or feel like you are abandoning them. You may also worry about them giving up on life once they have moved into an assisted living community.

Once people have become adults, one thing many of them dream about is reliving their high school years. Although this is not actually possible, it can come true to some extent. A high school dance for seniors would be a great place to start. Music could be played from the 40s, 50s, 60s and even 70s. Each attendee would be encouraged to dress up in an outfit from the decade they graduated such as poodle skirts or letterman jackets. Although some may not be able to move and dance like they used too, the atmosphere alone would create a haven for the sharing of great memories from their former years. Family members and friends could also be invited to join in on the fun.

Speak to your parent about making end of life care decisions. If your parent is lucid and able to make decisions, then find out whether they want to spend the last days of their life at home or in a hospital. This is important from your parent's point of view, as it will reduce emotional stress and also let them choose where they die. Generally, people with terminal disease want to spend their last days surrounded by their loved ones and in familiar surroundings.

As you begin to ask these questions your family member may bring up the idea of moving to a home that offers constant care and friendships with others in their age group. If you approach this difficult subject in this way you are bound to have better results than some of the alternative ways.

When your parent is lucid, find out about what plans they have in place for their funeral. It sounds morbid to be discussing such a topic even before the person passes away, but it will allow you to fulfill your parent's last wishes. This may not be necessary if your parent has made a living will.

Karaoke night is another fun idea. Participants could either go solo or get together in teams and perform one of their favorite songs. They could even dress up if they choose. The night doesn't have to just be for the seniors. People in the community could also come in to watch for a small fee. The money would be used to go towards other activities at the center.

Senior living doesn't have to be boring. It can be a great way to live your latter years with all of the wisdom and experiences you've gained over time in a fun, creative, inexpensive and enjoyable way.




About the Author:



0 comments:

Post a Comment