What does your elderly parent want most? Especially if he or she is facing a transition? Is it comfort, tasty food, friendliness, or excellent care?
In my job as Marketing Director for Evergreen Court Retirement and Assisted Living Community, I ask that question daily. One recent response caught me off guard.
“I want to be treated with kindness,” 85-year-old Jean told me on the phone.
“Tell me more,” I asked.
“It’s not that I haven’t been treated with kindness,” she said, “But I want that to continue. I need to be treated with dignity and respect.”
After Jean moved in, she confided she’d experienced some hurts earlier in life. She needed a safe place to land, where she was cared for.
Have you asked your elderly parent to name what’s most important? If you do, don’t be surprised at what you hear. The words “kindness, respect, dignity,” may surface. Together, you can help him or her find that good place.
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