8 Tips to Help Your Senior Loved One Transition to Assisted Living
Moving into assisted living is a big life change for seniors and, of course, can be intimidating. While there’s no way to completely ease worries with this type of move, there are some ways to help your senior loved one transition to assisted living.
- Make sure you pick an assisted living facility that’s a good fit. That’s where Helping Hands for Seniors comes in! We help families go through the entire process of finding senior living. Our local advisors are experts in the senior living communities and care options in your area. We match you with the options that meet your family’s unique needs and preferences. Contact us today to discuss your search for assisted living.
- Make their new room their own by surrounding them with personal belongings. Bringing their favorite things and personal belongings is essential to helping your senior loved one transition to their new assisted living home. It’s likely that they’ll need to downsize but items such as family photographs, photo albums, artwork, or their blankets and pillows can create a cozy, familiar atmosphere
- Encourage them to be social and get involved with the community and activities. A major benefit of assisted living is the social calendar they provide. Attending events and activities is a great way for new individuals to get to know other seniors. Making friends can make all the difference in seniors feeling “at home” in their new assisted living facility. Over time, they will discover their favorite social activities and be able to look forward to these events in their regular routine.
- Meet the assisted living facility staff. Getting to know the staff and the role each staff member plays can help ease any anxiety a senior has about assisted living. Knowing the staff can help make the building feel more friendly and help the senior feel more comfortable leaving their room.
- Set boundaries and don’t feel guilty. For family members and caregivers, feeling guilty will do no good as this move was ultimately for the best. Remind yourself that assisted living will benefit your senior loved one’s health and quality of life. Set boundaries and know that it is okay if you aren’t always available. Sometimes you must also prioritize yourself or the other members of your family. Some seniors need hand-holding throughout this transition while others do better with more space from family. Only you can be the judge of what works best for you and your senior loved one.
- Visit often. During the first few weeks or months, be sure to visit your senior loved one regularly. Perhaps a consistent schedule of visits that they can look forward to. This will help them from feeling abandoned while adjusting to their new living situation.
- Stay connected. Keep in touch with your senior loved one when visiting is not possible. Call and check in. Be sure to ask directly about their transition, whether they are making friends, and how they are spending their time. If you are concerned about them, check in with staff as well to keep updated on your senior loved one’s progress.
- Give it time and encourage patience. Expect some setbacks or hurdles. It isn’t uncommon for seniors to go through a rough patch during this transition. Be compassionate when they call about loneliness or any issues. Knowing this phase will pass can help you and your senior loved one get through it.