The Four Non-Negotiables in Senior Care

Every family I work with hears this from me early on:
Before you tour a single place, you need to know your four non-negotiables.

These aren’t preferences or wish list items. They’re the must-haves—the things that need to be in place for your loved one to be safe, respected, and able to live well.

For one family, that might mean:
• A care team confident in managing complex medical needs
• A dining program that meets cultural or nutritional needs
• Staff trained to respond to dementia with calm and skill
• A location close enough for frequent family visits

For another, the list might look entirely different.

The point is: your non-negotiables are yours. But they have to be clear—because once you start touring, emotions run high. It’s easy to get overwhelmed. And when a discharge date or crisis is looming, families often rush.

Knowing your four non-negotiables keeps you grounded. It turns a high-stakes, emotional choice into a values-based decision.

If you’re not sure what your four are, that’s where I come in.

Let’s MAP it out.
www.maineaging.com