Someone described modern assisted living facilities to me as Disney World for senior citizens, and he was right. I have visited many of them, and the good ones provide daily activities, music, Bible studies, a fun social atmosphere, good dining options, and a caring staff. In fact, many newer facilities are resort-like in quality. Good assisted living facilities allow children to know that their parents are in safe environments so that the children can live their own lives without worrying that their parents might fall and injure themselves at home, for example.

Deciding whether to place an elderly parent in long-term care, such as in an assisted living facility or nursing home, can be very tough on many different levels. It involves accepting that the parent has lost the capacity to live alone, and placing a parent in a facility might mean selling the parent’s house and getting the parent’s financial affairs in order. More children will make this decision in the next few years as baby boomers become older, and the Atlanta area will add many new facilities for senior citizens during this time.