Beginning the Talk: Start With Siblings

Well-known author Gail Sheehy recommends that before an actual emergency happens with aging parents or other senior family members, siblings start the discussion on what can they, as a family, do to help their older loved ones enjoy an independent life for as long as possible.

Questions should be asked about what the priorities are for their senior members. For instance, do they want to live in the same neighborhood? Or, would they ever consider living in an assisted living setting?

Another alternative Sheehy offers to families looking at elder care is the "Village Movement," which organizes a community of caring around aging seniors.

Sheehy discusses how approaching this discussion from the point of view of preserving what's important in their seniors' lives will help extend the independence of their elderly family members and allow the family to know how best to handle situations before they become an emergency.