#042- How to Start a Senior Living Discussion with Aging Parents

01/19/21 • 23 min

Mental Health + Aging with Dr. Regina Koepp

There may come a time in caring for your older loved one, when you're faced with the dreaded conversation of moving into a senior living or assisted living community. The expert tips in this episode will help you start this conversation without pushing your older loved one away.

Today's episode will share:

6 Strategies for setting yourself up for success with the senior living discussion
Examples of how to start the conversation
How to go about finding senior housing or assisted living communities
How to take care of yourself through it all.

Click here to listen to the podcast
Download the Caring for Aging Parents Checklist here.
Click here to visit the show notes page to learn more.
Join the movement to de-stigmatize mental health for older adults:

With the Psychology of Aging podcast, my mission is to de-stigmatize mental health for older adults, to improve access to mental health care for older adults, and to create a space that is inclusive of all older adults.
You can help by sharing episodes, and subscribing to the podcast. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!
Then, leave a review. Your review will help other people find this podcast.

To leave a review, simply:
1. Click here
2. Scroll down to "Ratings and Reviews"
3. Tap or click "Write a Review"
I read them all. Thank you!

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DISCLAIMER: The material on this site is for informational and educational purposes only. Any comments Dr. Koepp may make on the TV Show, blog, or in response to an individual’s story or comments should not be construed as establishing a psychologist-patient relationship between Dr. Koepp and the individual. None of Dr. Koepp's show, website, social media, comments, or group information should be considered a substitute for individualized medical or mental health assessment, diagnosis, or treatment. Dr. Koepp is only representing herself in her TV Show, blogs, and on her website.

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Today's episode will share:

6 Strategies for setting yourself up for success with the senior living discussion
Examples of how to start the conversation
How to go about finding senior housing or assisted living communities
How to take care of yourself through it all.

With the Psychology of Aging podcast, my mission is to de-stigmatize mental health for older adults, to improve access to mental health care for older adults, and to create a space that is inclusive of all older adults.
You can help by sharing episodes, and subscribing to the podcast. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!
Then, leave a review. Your review will help other people find this podcast.

To leave a review, simply:
1. Click here
2. Scroll down to "Ratings and Reviews"
3. Tap or click "Write a Review"
I read them all. Thank you!

Have a topic idea? Send us a text.

Previous Episode

#041- Expert Tips for Finding Senior Living with a Mental Health Condition - with Candy Cohn

When he was in his late 80s, Candy Cohn's father unintentionally stopped taking medication for a long-standing bipolar disorder and experienced a significant mental health crisis requiring hospitalization and intensive treatment. It was following this episode that Candy knew that she needed to help her older parents find a senior living community that would provide more continuity and medication management and offer opportunities for a better quality of life than they were getting at home. But, where to start?

In today's episode, I interview, Candy Cohn, a Certified Senior Advisor, who help families find senior living and has developed a specialty for helping people living with mental health concerns find senior housing, starting with her own dad.

Here's a peak inside my interview with Candy Cohn:

[04:46] Candy describes different types of senior living communities, from independent living to assisted living to memory care.
[20:48] Learn why it can be helpful to work with a Senor Living Advisor when looking for housing options for your older loved ones.
[25:10] Candy shares her personal experience of looking for senior living communities following her dad's hospitalization in his late 80's due to a mental health crisis.
[32:20] Taking medication consistently helps many people with mental health conditions maintain emotional stability and improve their quality of life. Learn more about medication management in senior living here.
[38:21] There are some barriers for folks with mental health conditions moving into senior living communities. One of them being stigma. Candy and I share personal stories of mental health stigma.
[51:38] After helping many older adults with mental health conditions move into senior living communities, Candy shares recommendations for families who are living with mental health conditions who are looking for senior living community
[55:56] Serving as a liaison between families with mental health conditions and senior living communities, Candy also offers recommendations for senior living communities including folks with mental health concerns.

With the Psychology of Aging podcast, my mission is to de-stigmatize mental health for older adults, to improve access to mental health care for older adults, and to create a space that is inclusive of all older adults.
You can help by sharing episodes, and subscribing to the podcast. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!
Then, leave a review. Your review will help other people find this podcast.

To leave a review, simply:
1.

Have a topic idea? Send us a text.

Next Episode

#043- Managing Caregiver Guilt and Shame about Moving Aging Parent to Assisted Living

Have you helped your loved one move to a senior living or assisted living community? Do you find that in the midst of experiencing relief that your loved one is being cared for and is safe, you also have intense feelings of guilt and shame?
You're not alone. Many caregivers struggle with guilt and shame after moving older loved ones into a senior living community. Perhaps you feel that you've let your older loved one down, like you're not being a dutiful spouse, daughter, or son. This can lead to emotional distress and discontent.
To help you navigate the emotionally turbulent waters of caregiver guilt and shame, I've prepared 5 strategies for helping you to move through guilt and shame when helping your older loved one adjust to senior living. Listen now.
Click here to listen to the podcast
Download the Caring for Aging Parents Checklist here.
Click here to visit the show notes page to learn more.
Help others find this show and get tools for caregiving:

My mission is to give you tools for caring for aging parents so you have peace of mind knowing you're doing everything you can to help your older loved one live their best life.
You can help by sharing episodes, and subscribing to the podcast. Click here to subscribe in iTunes!
Then, leave a review. Your review will help other people find this podcast.

To leave a review, simply:
1. Click here
2. Scroll down to "Ratings and Reviews"
3. Tap or click "Write a Review"
I read them all. Thank you!

Have a topic idea? Send us a text.

Mental Health + Aging with Dr. Regina Koepp - #042- How to Start a Senior Living Discussion with Aging Parents

Transcript

0:01
Are you considering moving your older loved one into a senior living community? This can be really stressful and even starting the conversation can bring up all sorts of worry and concern and feelings of guilt and shame. It can really help if you prepare for having this conversation.
0:20
So today, I'm going to share several strategies to help you prepare for talking with your older loved one, about moving into a senior living community. And then also how to go about having tha