The baby boomers are coming to senior living—worries and misconceptions in tow. Before moving in themselves, boomers will consider senior living for their parents, and newly released survey findings may help providers quell their fears.
For example: Even though 37% of baby boomers consider themselves highly or somewhat likely to move their aging loved ones into a senior living community, 70% have some level of concern that doing so would put their loved one’s independence at risk.
This is according to the survey commissioned by Lake Oswego, Oregon-based Holiday Retirement, the largest independent living operator in the country. The survey identifies, among other things, baby boomers’ top seven concerns when considering whether to move aging loved ones into senior living. The survey, which polled 1,000 adults between the ages of 50 and 69, was conducted by ORC International between Sept. 9-13, 2015.
Among the baby boomers surveyed, two-thirds expressed some concern that their loved one would feel lonely after moving into senior living, 65% expressed concern that their loved one would not receive the same level of attention they would at home, and 63% were worried their loved one would be bored after moving into senior living.
The prospect of their aging loved ones not eating well in a senior living setting worried more than half of respondents, and almost 3 out of 5 said they were concerned about an aging loved one not having enough money saved to make the transition.
Baby boomers also worried about how the move would affect their own well-being. Sixty-one percent of baby boomers surveyed expressed concern that they would feel guilty after moving their loved one into senior living.
The survey also delved into the reasons why baby boomers would begin to consider moving their loved ones into senior living.
Forty-eight percent of the respondents said they may be influenced to move their loved one into senior living if the loved one seems to be having memory issues, 46% said they may be influenced if the loved one has fallen at home and requires more around-the-clock supervision, and 39% said they may be influenced if the loved one is no longer eating well.
“When adult children consider a move for a parent or loved one, there are bound to be concerns,” Jamison Gosselin, Holiday Retirement’s senior vice president of marketing, communications, and resident enrichment, said in a prepared statement. “However, it is important for these decision makers to remember that this is an emotional decision, and that through acknowledging and researching the realities of their concerns, they can address the reasons for those fears and make the best choice with an aging loved one.”
Click here to access Holiday Retirement’s e-book.
Written by Mary Kate Nelson
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