This week, we begin our five-part series Handling the Difficult Conversation with a Loved One about Facility Placement: Tips for Success!
One of the things people absolutely dread is the conversation they have to have with an elder loved one regarding facility placement. During the next few weeks, Wes Coulson will offer some practical tips for making that process easier and hopefully a lot more successful.
Tip 1 – Practice Makes Perfect: The Value of Role Playing
In this Elder Law Minute, and the first of our series, Wes Coulson shares some practical advice on getting ready for those difficult conversations by practicing, and even role-playing, what you are going to say. This seemingly simple tactic can be a very effective strategy.
Practice Makes Perfect: The Value of Role Playing
Transcript:
Hi, I’m Wes Coulson and this is your Elder Law Minute. One of the things that I think people tend to absolutely dread is the conversation that they have to have with an elder loved one regarding facility placement, whether that’s a nursing home or assisted living. So, I’m going to give you some practical tips for making that process maybe easier and hopefully a lot more successful.
The first one is, I call it Practice Makes Perfect. You can practice difficult conversations, interestingly enough, with the same beneficial effect as you would get from practicing playing a piano or swinging a golf club. Practice indeed makes perfect. Role play it. Find a loved one, both of you know what mom or dad is going to say, you be you and have maybe your sister be mom. Or you be mom and have your sister be herself. And just keep practicing it. Go over the difficult parts of the conversation, say everything that you think mom might throw at you as blocking the conversation. And just keep going through it and going through it until you are satisfied that you are going to be prepared for whatever mom might throw at you and that you know in advance what you are going to say and you’re going to handle it in the best possible way. Trust me, it’s a very effective strategy. Thanks.
Next week in our Handling the Difficult Conversation with a Loved One about Facility Placement: Tips for Success series, Wes Coulson shares another great tip with Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day: Know When to Say When.
For more about assisted living and nursing homes, visit:
- The Do’s and Don’ts of assuring the best possible nursing home experience
- Medicaid planning for someone who is already in a nursing home
- Assisted Living Facilities
Dent-Coulson Elder Law is dedicated to providing families in the St. Louis area with their Elder Law needs. Our practice areas include Asset Preservation Planning, Veterans Benefits, Medicaid Eligibility, Alzheimer’s Planning, Special Needs Planning, Estate Planning and more. We understand the financial challenges you may face as you and your loved ones grow older. At Dent-Coulson Elder Law, our clients’ well-being is our number one priority. For immediate help, call (877)995-6876 or Contact Us and we will get in touch as soon as possible.