Assisting the Senior Living Adjustment Process of Your Loved One
Updated 5/16/22
Helping a senior acclimatize to the idea of adult retirement communities can be tricky. It’s easier if family members have agreed to move and be involved in a significant way.
Senior residence homes can be the next chapter of life for most adults. Abundant senior living solutions can offer older adults the chance to explore new things and even meet new people.
For others, leaving the comfort of their homes and moving to senior residence homes can be daunting. In such an instance, the process is very stressful for caregivers.
Regardless of how your loved one feels about making the move, it’s important to understand everyone needs some time to adjust to new routines and surroundings.
It’s crucial to place your elder loved one in a facility close to you. Why is this? So you can visit them or provide anything they need.
Maybe open your browser and search for senior housing near my location or an upscale senior living near me, depending on the needs of your loved one. Check out some of the tips listed below to help you give them support.
Choosing an adult assisted living home for your loved one is a difficult process. You have decided that moving them out of their current home into a more assistive residence is necessary. They may or may not be excited about the idea, but there may not be any other options. However, there are ways to improve the transition, increasing their feelings about their new living situation. When seniors are more adjusted and provided with multiple activities and benefits, they are more willing to enjoy their new home.
Research senior housing options together
Involving your senior loved one in the housing choice can help them feel like they are a part of the process. They may have had little choice in their ability to remain in their own home. They may be forced to move to an adult assisted living home that can help them with their everyday duties. By involving them in the research and decision process, they feel more in control of their situation. Allow them to visit the possible locations with you and give their own feedback.
Make the process exciting
It is possible and likely that your loved one lived in their home for many years. They probably spent many years decorating and designing each room in the house. Make the moving process exciting by allowing them to decorate their new room or home. Many adult assisted living homes allow seniors to bring their own belongings. Take a day shopping trip for new household items to furnish the new home. This can make the transition easier.
Encourage them in meal planning
Some adult assisted living homes allow seniors to order meals based on their preferences. Encourage your senior to actively involve themselves in their meal decisions. Giving them this task gives them something to do with their time, and can give them something to look forward to when the days may seem long and boring. Assisted living residences are aimed at helping residents remain as self sufficient as possible with the assurance of assistance when needed.
Find new hobbies
Retirement is a great time to expand upon or find new interests and hobbies. Many assisted living seniors residences have a variety of activities to engage in. Many senior facilities offer a social wellness calendar packed with Zumba, yoga, pottery, guest lectures, concerts, computer classes, mixers and more. Seniors who engage in more activities at their new assisted living facilities tend to be more satisfied. Active engagement in these activities can also reduce the symptoms of depression and Alzheimer?s disease.
Make their new home feel like home
Although purchasing new items can make the move easier and more exciting, it may not make it feel entirely like home. Ensure that your loved one has all of the amenities they had at their previous home. If their daily routine included waking up to a cup of coffee while watching the news, ensure that this is a possibility in their new home as well. Personal assistance, support services, a community environment and independence are all hallmarks of assisted living facilities. Find what will make your loved one feel at home.
Make frequent visits
One of the hardest parts to adjusting to an affordable senior living home is that seniors often feel neglected. They may feel like they were pushed off to an assisted living home because they have become a responsibility. Frequent visits can help your senior feel better about their new living situation. Bring family members to visit frequently. This can also give them something to look forward to. It can also allow them to introduce their family members to their new life, new activities and seniors they have met in their adult assisted living home.
Many seniors develop medical conditions that prevent them from living alone. An assisted living residence can be a great option because it provides the level of independence that seniors desire, with the added security and safety of assistance. It is important to focus on making the transition easier and more exciting for your loved one. Help ease their worries by making their new living arrangement feel like home.
