Why You Can’t Force Someone into Assisted Living in Mobile AL

June 10, 2014 by ·

While the title of this article will make it seem that there is nothing you can really do about forcing someone to move into assisted living, there are some things that you could do to undermine a person’s free will. However, the emphasis here is not that you may be legally able to compel a court to move someone into a nursing home or assisted living facility because their welfare is deemed to be in jeopardy otherwise, but that you should always respect the elderly individual’s wishes and desires when possible.Assisted Living Mobile AL

Why we tend to push our opinions on those around us.

If you have an elderly loved one who is having trouble tending to his or her personal care needs at home, who may be forgetful, or who you believe is actually a risk to themselves or others around them, you don’t want to see them get hurt. You want to protect them, to make sure that they are safe within their home, and that others around them are also safe.

When you notice risks, you may believe that your suggestion about assisted living or a nursing home is in their best interest but when they flat out refuse to even consider that option, you may get angry, frustrated, and that can cause you to dig your heels in deeper.

When we believe that we are right and the other person is wrong, we have a tendency to become more entrenched in our beliefs. This causes us to not listen to what the other person has to say, or to try and see things from their point of view. This is what leads too many of us to consider ‘forcing’ our elderly loved one to give up what they want and ‘do the right thing.’

The proper way to approach the topic.

While you may be concerned about your loved one’s safety, they are likely comfortable in their home. Assisted living may be an abstract concept for them, something they know little about or have preconceived notions about.

Gather as much information as you can about different facilities in the area. Learn about the activities that your loved one can partake in; focusing on those that you believe would interest them. Find a way to highlight the benefits of living there and use that as your starting point.

The last thing you should want is to force someone to give up their home and move somewhere they don’t want to go. In order to keep your loved one safe, extolling the benefits and comforts of assisted living may be the best first step in convincing them that it’s the right choice. Once you’ve done that, you must rely on patience.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Assisted Living, contact Ashbury Manor Specialty Care and Assisted Living in Mobile AL, at 251-317-3017.

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About Cindy Johnson

Ashbury Manor’s Administrator since 2008, Cindy Johnson is a long-time expert in the assisted living field. Prior to her arrival at Ashbury Manor, Cindy managed acquisitions and crisis management for existing and new larger senior care project developments for eleven years. As regional manager for an Oregon-based assisted living management company, Cindy was directly responsible for operations for five 50-65 bed assisted living facilities. As manager during the transition to new ownership, Cindy reorganized internal operations and conducted leadership training for Executive Directors. As a result of her management and expertise, one of the company’s facilities (in Ocala, Florida) received a deficiency-free survey, resulting in the lifting of a moratorium on operation.

A nurse for 36 years, senior care has always been Cindy’s passion. Desiring to work more closely with residents, Cindy became a Category II Administrator in 2005. As Ashbury Manor’s Administrator, Cindy understands the complexities associated with dementia and cognitive impairment and she has fallen in love with seniors with dementia or cognitive impairment and their families.

Cindy is Treasurer of the local “Senior Coalition” chapter. She enjoys mentoring new candidates who want to become administrators.

As a 16-bed facility, with Cindy's training and experience, our residents and their families can be sure Ashbury Manor’s carefully selected staff provides the expertise of a larger facility while maintaining the individualized personal care of a small special needs home.
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