The largest change many elderly adults will likely experience as they age is moving from an independent senior lifestyle to one in an assisted living community. Worry and anxiety will unavoidably be felt by everyone involved in the process, but your loved one who is moving will likely find it quite trying.
Fortunately, there are several opportunities for you to actively participate in this shift. Things will be less stressful for everyone if you can find methods to make it simpler for your loved one. With the tips below, your loved ones can feel like they’re home with your assistance.
Spend Some Time Picking the Right Neighborhood
Assisted living is not a stopgap measure. If you don’t choose the appropriate area, finding a suitable match for your loved one won’t be as easy as getting up and moving to the next one. Spend some time at the beginning of the transfer to tour the community and ensure a good match.
Tour the community as a portion of your research, speak with the management and caregivers, observe the team’s friendliness and cleanliness, and attempt to assess whether residents appear satisfied with their surroundings. To prevent having to rush to a company with urgent openings without completing your homework, ideally have the chat with your loved one before you need to.
Involve Your Loved One in the Discussion
It might be difficult to broach the subject of a loved one’s quality of life with them. However, you must have a discussion to make sure that their well-being and safety come first. You must include them in that discussion as well. You don’t want your loved one to think that discussions about them and their way of life are being held without them. Talk to them about some of the numerous advantages of relocating to an assisted living community. Make sure to pay close attention to them when they express their worries and concerns during the talk.
Pack Efficiently
Downsizing with a loved one is difficult, but it is possible with a little time, care, and planning. Keep a list of items that will not only fit in their new house but also make it feel like home while determining what to keep from their years of accumulated possessions. Not everything must be removed immediately. It is a change, after all. Start with the items they will need in their new house, and once they are situated, you can deal with the rest.
Spend Time With Your Loved One
During the move to assisted living, some people may feel abandoned. Establish a regular visitation plan for them to assist them, particularly in the early stages of their adjustment. By letting them know they can rely on you to be there at a specific time each week, you may give them a feeling of security.
You may invite friends over for supper, engage in cooperative board games or puzzle solving, or just sit and talk with them while updating them on the latest events. Your loved ones will be reminded that you are thinking of them by spending time with them.
Create a Sense of Home
It’s difficult to leave your home. It’s crucial to take all the necessary steps to soon and as completely as possible to make the new house seem like home. Family pictures and other sentimental items should be clearly displayed. Use recognizable items like beds or little pieces of furniture. Whenever there are windows, hang drapes. Make every effort to carefully introduce a few familiar elements to their new home.
Encourage Them to Learn About Their New Neighbors
Your loved one will be able to mingle frequently with other residents, which is just one of the numerous advantages of assisted living. Encourage them to get to know their neighbors and reassure them that they previously underwent a transformation. They could not only be great companions, but also helpful sources of advice and knowledge.
Be aware that no two person transition to assisted living in the same way since no two people are alike. Even though the relocation could be challenging, it might be made simpler with support and assistance from family and friends.
