Tips on how to support aging loved ones and start the conversation about senior living
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DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) – As the holiday season approaches, families across the country look forward to reconnecting, celebrating, and spending quality time with loved ones.
But for many, these festive gatherings may reveal unexpected changes—such as a senior relative struggling with daily tasks, showing signs of memory loss, or experiencing increased isolation.
These observations often raise a difficult yet important question: Is it time to consider senior living?
“I did not have much choice,” said Joyce Giebelstein, a Senior Star resident. “I had a bad wreck and got hurt pretty bad, so I did not have much choice where to go and I sold my condo and moved here.“
At Senior Star, they understand that starting this conversation can be emotional and challenging. Seniors may feel apprehensive about leaving their homes, while family members may feel unsure about how to bring up the topic without causing distress.
Yet, making the transition to senior living doesn’t mean losing independence; it can be a step toward a more engaged, active, and fulfilling lifestyle.
”I made a mistake and I fell, so it landed me in the hospital and so on and so on, and then it all kind of fell into the puzzle. Pieces just fell into place and they came and looked at places and were delighted to see Senior Star,” said Marilyn Sorensen, Senior Star resident.
For childhood best friends Joyce Giebelstein and Marilyn Sorensen, Senior Star at Elmore Place residents, they were able to reconnect in senior living after many years of distance.
”We went to school together, kindergarten. It was a country school, and then after we got out of the country school, we went to Durant High School and after that, we met our husbands; both got married, and so we drifted apart,” Giebelstein said. “We moved to quite a few different places, and so we did not really see each other for quite a while.“
But starting the conversation about senior living doesn’t have to be daunting.
”You know holidays are a time that we often hear from families that they are very worried about their loved ones, and from what we see when you get somebody in the right environment, especially around the holiday times, it doesn’t have to be so lonely,“ said Annette Martinez, Executive Director of Senior Star at Elmore Place.
It is about creating opportunities for your loved one to thrive in a supportive, engaging community. More than anything, it’s important to have these conversations respectfully and collaboratively.
”I think when you’re starting that conversation out with a loved one, whether it is a parent or a spouse, it is just being empathetic. Being open and having that conversation and then also just being open as you do look at all of your options,“ Martinez said.
For Joyce and Marylin, playing bingo has become one of their favorite pastimes.
”When you get into the right community, just like Marilyn and Joyce, you really have a whole new world that opens up to you,“ Martinez said.
But no matter who it is with or where you are…
“Make Christmas when you can. We have known each other for 85 years, so we can probably finish out our days on Earth together, so we can’t beat that,” Sorensen said.
From visits from carolers and holiday parties with sleigh rides, Senior Star at Elmore Place is committed to making the holidays feel like home for all.
By Kaila Paige – Published: Dec. 23, 2024 at 10:20 AM CST| – Copyright 2024 KWQC. All rights reserved.