Assisted Living How to Talk About Assisted Living Choosing a Care Facility Paying for Care Signs That It's Time for Care By Esther Heerema, MSW Esther Heerema, MSW Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Esther Heerema, MSW, shares practical tips gained from working with hundreds of people whose lives are touched by Alzheimer's disease and other kinds of dementia. Learn about our editorial process Updated on December 14, 2020 Fact checked Verywell Health content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Learn more. by James Lacy Fact checked by James Lacy LinkedIn James Lacy, MLS, is a fact-checker and researcher. James received a Master of Library Science degree from Dominican University. Learn about our editorial process Our Conversation Coach Can Help As people age and begin to have more difficulty living at home alone, one topic is often dreaded and avoided more than the others—nursing homes and assisted livings. Or, if they are discussed, it may be in passing, like: “Promise me you won’t ever put me in one of those!” While it might not be a very comfortable idea to talk about, it’s important to consider what steps to take when living at home becomes a challenge. Remember that your goal in having this conversation is not to have a “one and done” talk and then make a sudden move to a facility. Instead, use our Healthy Conversations Coach to simulate a respectful and effective way to address the concern while keeping the lines of communication open. Note: The conversations below address assisted living for a mother, but can be applied to other loved ones in your life as needed. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit