For anyone who has to move their elderly loved one into assisted living, it can be a difficult transition on everyone who is involved. The senior may be nervous about the change and have a challenging time adjusting. For those who are preparing for the move, there are a few tips to follow for an easier process that puts the elder at ease.
1) Surround the Elder with Familiar Objects
Once moving your elderly loved one into assisted living, it’s important to make them feel at home in an environment that isn’t sterile or bland. Hang familiar photos on the wall, keep their favorite throw or blanket out on a nearby chair, and allow their old furnishings to be in the same place. This will make it easier for the individual to feel as if they’re still at home and haven’t moved to a completely different place.
2) Allow Them to Get to Know the Staff
Before moving the elder into their new home, allow them to visit the grounds and meet some of the staff and residents ahead of time. This will allow them to become acquainted with people who they’ll likely see on a consistent basis. Once they are settled into the assisted living center, it’ll be easier to feel comfortable after they see people they’ve already met in the past.
3) Establish a Schedule
Keeping the individual busy after they move into the new place will help them to have activities to look forward to each day. Discuss any sports or hobbies that they want to partake in and use a calendar to show what they have planned throughout the week. This will make it easier to help them enjoy their time at the new location and stay active. If they don’t participate in activities or hide away in their room, it can be easy for them to become bored or decline both mentally and physically.
4) Walk the Grounds
Make it a point to walk the grounds with your loved one so they can become familiar with the assisted living center. This will make it easier for them to find the dining area, locate an entertainment room, or find their way back to where they live. The more familiar they are with the facilities, the more confident they’ll feel moving in.
5) Make Frequent Visits
As your loved one begins to settle in to their new home, it can be easy for them to feel lonely or nervous in the first month or two. Make frequent visits throughout the week, which will allow them to feel safe by having a relative or friend present. The more they adjust to living at the assisted living center, the less visits you’ll need to make as they ease into the transition.
6) Discuss the Benefits
Many seniors are resistant to moving to an assisted living facility due to the loss of their independence and freedom that they had when living alone. Discuss the benefits to help them remain positive and see why the change is necessary. This can mean that they’ll do less cleaning, they’ll have delicious meals prepared for them each day, and they’ll even have access to nail or hair salons that may be available on the site. They can even enjoy making new friends and participating in activities that they currently don’t have access to. You can also discuss that they’ll be incredibly safe at the facility and can obtain help from nurses or doctors much easier than if they were to continue living on their own.