Visiting your loved ones who are in assisted living communities can evoke mixed feelings. You know that taking care of your loved one should be your responsibility, but you do not have the time and resources to do so on a full-time basis. So, you have decided to provide for your loved one by sending him or her to an environment where s/he can receive the best care. However, you should visit your loved ones, to stay connected to them and find out their progress. In this post, we will provide the top five tips to follow when visiting your loved ones in an assisted living community in Fort Worth, TX.
Focus on Providing Support
Always remember that your purpose of visiting is to show support and provide your loved one with the emotional support that they will need to get through their therapies. This can help to enhance their physical, mental, and emotional well-being, speeding up their progress. As you and your loved one live in separate places, visiting is even more a precious time to reconnect with each other.
Begin the Visit with a Greeting
Look past any previous disagreements and focus on reconnecting with your loved one. Start off with a warm greeting. After your greeting, you can acknowledge your loved one by saying something positive about their appearance, or any improvements in their health that you have noticed. If your loved one is sitting down, you should do the same and talk while making eye contact. This increases the intimacy between you two. By focusing on the positive, your visit will be a meaningful experience for you two.
Bring Gifts
You should bring gifts for your loved ones, considering that you two may not meet very often. Gifts can be a great way to start a conversation and suppress any negative feelings. Some great gifts include sentimental ones such as your loved one’s favorite music, family videos or family photos. Other good gifts include tea sets, cakes and even lunch.
Meaningful Visit is better than a Long Visit
Always try to aim for a meaningful visit rather than the length of visit. If you spend a short time, but have a wonderful conversation, that time is quality time. You should also observe if your loved one has the stamina for a long visit. If your loved one is still adjusting to living in assisted care, s/he may feel tired easily. Do not feel discouraged if they look tired, it is not that they do not enjoy your company.
Take a Walk
You do not need to confine yourselves to the room during your visit. You can take a walk at the community garden, go to area attractions or your favorite places together. This change in environment can help to reduce stress.
Assisted care at Morada Lake Arlington is worth considering if you are a senior who requires more help with daily tasks. Morada Lake Arlington has many senior-friendly area attractions that you can go to with your loved ones during your visit, and a beautiful community garden space for you all to take a walk. Contact us today!
