How To Overcome Guilt When Moving a Parent To Senior Living

Many adult children feel guilty when moving their parents to a senior living community. Considering that there are over one million people living in assisted living communities in the United States, know that you are not alone.

Keep reading for tips on how to handle guilt when moving parents to a senior living facility today.

Contact Haven Health.

Why Do Adult Children Feel Guilty About Moving A Parent Into Senior Living?

Experiencing guilt about moving parents to a senior living facility is very common. Almost half of caregivers’ report feeling guilty following moving a loved one to a long-term residential facility.

These feelings of guilt can often come from:

Feeling like you’re “giving up” on them.
Feeling as if you broke some kind of promise.
Family expectations.
Worrying that it looks like you quit caring.
Feeling like you abandoned them.

Reasons Choosing Professional Care Isn’t Abandoning Your Loved One

It’s important to realize that these situations are rarely simple and that emotions can run high during these transitions. Societal expectations and family expectations may leave you feeling guilty. However, in many cases, professional care is the safest option for many patients.

According to the National Institute on Aging, the following can be signs that moving your loved one to a senior living facility may be the safest option:

They’re beginning to display worsening signs of memory loss.
Mental health issues, such as anxiety or depression, are becoming a concern for your loved one or yourself.
Falls are becoming more frequent.
Changes in weight.
24/7 observation is becoming necessary, and you lack the time or assistance to accommodate this.
They are lonely.
You’re struggling to balance caring for their needs in addition to your own responsibilities.

How Do I Cope With Caregiver Guilt?

While there’s often no one-size-fits-all solution to handling the guilt of moving parents to senior living (especially if your loved one is not adjusting to senior living as well as you hoped), consider trying one of the following strategies to cope:

Focus on your parents’ needs: Specialized care is often the best way for patients to get all their needs met and is usually the safest option.
Stay involved: Your parents moving into a senior living community doesn’t mean you can’t be an active participant in their care. Ask the facility your parents are considering how they work to include family in medical care decisions.
Have open discussions: Keeping an open and honest dialogue with your loved one about how everyone is feeling and what you think is best can help avoid resentment and hurt feelings down the line.
Seek support: Seeing a councilor to discuss your feelings or joining a support group can be a great option. Especially if communication with your parents isn’t going as well as you hoped for.
Focus on the benefits: Focusing on the benefits you and your loved receive from moving your parent to a senior living community can be beneficial.

How Senior Living at Haven Health Can Benefit Older Adults

Haven Health offers comprehensive skilled nursing services with care plans tailored to every patient’s needs. Through professional and compassionate care, Haven Health assists patients and their families with making important care decisions.

Keep reading to learn the value of being a Haven Health patient.

Benefits For Residents

Personalized treatment plans: Haven Health works with every patient to design a treatment plan that works for them and their medical needs.
Quality and expert care: Access to effective staff of experienced nurses, therapists, and specialists.
Superior meals: Haven Health provides nutritious, well-balanced meals that adhere to personal preferences and dietary restrictions. Their meal services have been known as the highlight of patients’ stay.
On-site rehabilitation services: Exercise options and therapeutic rehabilitation classes can assist patients with pain management and improved health.
Social opportunities: Seniors are at a higher risk of loneliness and social isolation, which has been linked to various mental and physical health problems. Haven Health offers social and recreational activities to ensure patients can enjoy regular social interaction to increase their quality of life.
Transitional services: Haven Health provides services to make the transition from a home environment or hospital stay easier for patients and their families.

Benefits For Families

Peace of mind knowing your loved one is receiving professional care.
Reduction in caregiver stress.
Can strengthen family bonds by changing interactions from an obligation to mutual enjoyment.

Just remember, experiencing guilt when moving parents to a senior living facility is perfectly normal. However, in many cases, this transition can be safer and provide seniors with a superior quality of life.

Contact Haven Health.