“I don’t want to go. Please don’t make me.” a man yells as his family asks him to tour one of many assisted living facilities in Orlando. Phrases similar to this are very common. As senior advisors, we experience these frustrations, fears, and anxieties all too often. One day, everything is fine and your loved one is doing great, mentally and physically, alone or with their significant other. The next day, they start to decline. You love them and want the absolute best for them, so you start caring for your family member by helping with little things such as making the meals or checking in on them to make sure they are safe. You start to realize this is more strenuous than you imagined and while you never thought of moving your loved one into a home, it starts to sound a little better, knowing they can be cared for by someone more available. Caregiver burnout does happen. It is very real and hard to handle. Families feel guilty and worried if they are doing the right thing by choosing to move their loved one into an assisted living community.
When individuals think of senior communities, they automatically tie them to nursing facilities.

This is a misconception.

Assisted living is similar to an apartment style home and can even be a residential neighborhood. Residents of these facilities still have freedom and independence to do as they please. Still, It can be such a difficult period when one partner/parent can no longer care for their loved one and need to move them into a community. Know you are not alone. Searching for the right place in Orlando, or even trying to figure out what to ask and look for can be extremely overwhelming. At North Star Senior Advisors, our passion and purpose are to help others in a manner where these feelings of fear and guilt on both sides are reduced significantly. We support you and your loved one by offering a guided path towards the perfect home, locating communities to meet your needs and expectations.

While the man quoted earlier was reluctant to even tour or see the community, after we visited him in his home and talked about the possibilities of at least checking a place out, the expression on his face turned to pure joy when he first stepped into Plantation Oaks Assisted Living. Communication and education are highly important as this can be very emotional for anyone. Once someone knows what is going on, they may feel more relaxed and maybe even excited to start their new journey. Of course not all move-ins go this smooth, but the best you can do is find the right home and communicate with your loved one on how beneficial it can be. Acknowledge their pain as well as your own.

Assisted living facilities in Orlando can be a great option for someone who needs a little assistance throughout the day as it did for this loving man.

Are you considering assisted living for a loved one?
Fill out our care assessment form.

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