Reflecting on a Lifetime of Love and Care
No one knows this more than you—for all of your adult life, you have cared for your family. You prepared your home for your children, were awakened by cries in the middle of the night, and did your best to give them what they needed, not just what they wanted. You were there for the first day of school, all the ups and downs of adolescence, and wept when your children walked down the aisle. You can still remember when you heard those words, “You’re going to be a grandparent!” You have been there through thick and thin whenever everyone else needed you. You didn’t mind; you did it all out of love—but now it’s a new season.
Facing the Future with Courage and Hope
Many of us don’t want to think about how we will live safely and well as we grow older. In fact, most of us feel we’ll worry about those things when we must. Maybe that mentality is driven more by fear than logic. It’s normal to think that such decisions are tied to end-of-life choices as opposed to the “next season” of your life. It’s hard to know how to have this conversation with ourselves, much less our family. It can feel highly personal with no real script to follow...
Dreaming of a Better Tomorrow
Dream for just a minute about what a better living situation could look like. Think about a home designed around the things that you love. A place that fits your needs now and can grow with you as you age. Think about having just enough access to a family member as you desire, while maintaining your sense of privacy and independence. What would it be like to know that you are wanted and needed in this next chapter of your life? These are things that are possible if we don’t delay the conversation before our options are limited.
A New Season to Cherish and Embrace
There was a season to raise your family, to invest yourself in a career, and to put your needs and desires aside until tomorrow. But there must also be a season—probably this one—to consider what you want and long for. It’s a humbling thing to admit that we will eventually need the help of others to live securely and safely. It's hard to admit that we want (and need) our family close—even with all the relational challenges that come with a lifetime of living. But something amazing can happen when we are the first ones to talk about our own needs—it gives permission to those around us to do the same. And truthfully, we really all want the same thing: to live in harmony with the ones who love us the most.
Our Promise at Linked Living Homes
This is our heart's desire at Linked Living Homes—to help families stay together for as long as possible. To create environments that allow for a high quality of life that includes the relationships that mean the most to us. I can’t think of a better gift to yourself than to live out your next chapter of life connected to your son or daughter and the grandchildren who continue to need your influence and love.
Start the Conversation Today
If you don’t know where to begin this conversation, start it with us. We really do want what you want. Don’t put off the conversation until you feel you are “old enough.” “Someday” will be here before we know it. Planning for your next chapter can provide you with your best choices and life now. It’s true that things may never be the same—but they can be better!