My Dad is 84 and has been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment after he had triple bypass surgery. My Dad and Mom
lived in upstate New York but were recently moved by their
children to a Senior Living Facility in No. California.
We worry about their safety, getting lost or being gone for hours and having no recollection as to where my Dad was and he was driving at the time.....not now that they are in CA.
How do my siblings and I tell my Dad that he is not going back to
New York because every day he asks if the reservations have been made for him and my Mom to go home? Do we sit my Dad
down and tell him honestly...how do we approach the subject
without my Dad getting upset?
Rather than just tell them they can no longer take care of themselves, how about a gentler, softer way? Offer them alternatives, depending upon their needs. Do they live alone? Do they need part time, or full time care? Do they need to be in an Assisted Living Facility, or Nursing Home? Or Day Care Program or Visiting Nurse? There are many solutions, depending on the level of care your parents need. I gathered together brochures, and gave them to my parents to look over. As their needs increased, decisions were made that met those needs. It's a serious, and delicate issue. Prayer helps. Take care.