My readers are getting younger all the time. So are my clients. It’s not unusual for a grandchild to look into retirement or assisted living for Grandpa or Grandma.
Whether you’re a Milllenial, a Gen Xer or a Boomer, the information you’ll need to help your aging loved one is the same.
You may be familiar with the SWOT analysis used by businesses in strategic planning. S stands for Strengths, W for Weaknesses, O for Opportunities and T for Threats. Apply that analysis to your loved one. The following are sample responses; yours will be unique, guided by your knowledge of your parent or grandparent.
STRENGTHS (These are positive things about his or her living situation. Here are some sample items)
- Grandma has a strong support system of friends and relatives.
- Grandma has a positive outlook on life.
- She has been generous and hard working.
- Her hobbies include knitting, reading and singing.
- Grandma has lost weight and is eating poorly.
- Since giving up driving, Grandma has become isolated and seems lonely.
- Grandma suffers from short-term memory loss.
- Grandma is reluctant to take a bath, because she is afraid of falling.
- She has fallen several times in the last six months.
- In a retirement community, Grandma will have a chance to meet people her own age and make friends.
- In her new setting, she can enjoy meals in the company of others.
- Structure to her day, such as exercises, meals, movie times, etc., will make her feel more secure.
- Staff can offer support with bathing and with medication administration.
THREATS (What might happen if she remains in her current situation.)
- She could continue to lose weight and become weaker.
- She could fall and could lie on the floor for hours.
- Her short-term memory loss could cause her to fall to prey to financial scams.
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