If your aging loved one requires special care and there is no one to provide it, you should take them to an assisted living facility such as https://vivanteliving.com/senior-living/newport-beach/.
Making the senior living facility move is a big life change for the seniors, and it can be intimidating, so you need to be present and help them make the transition.
Are you moving a loved one to an assisted living facility? Here are 5 strategies to ease the transition.
How to find the right senior living facility?
Everything begins here. Finding the right living facility for your loved one is vital as it makes the transition easy. If your loved one loves the facility, they will have an easy time settling in, which is what you want.
There are many assisted living facilities that are ideal for different seniors with different needs. You should take your time to research and find the perfect facility that fits your loved one.
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For example, if your loved one is self-reliant and can do most things by themselves, you can take them to an independent living facility. Do they need help doing regular chores such as washing? Find an assisted living facility for them.
Is your loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia? Find a memory care facility.
No two facilities are similar even if they provide the same services, so take your time to visit these facilities before deciding.
When you visit, pay attention to the resident staff ratios. The higher the ratio, the better, as you are sure that your loved ones will receive the care they need should they require it.
You also should consider the quality of the meals provided. They should not only be delicious, but nutritious as well.
The last thing you want is for your loved ones to sit around bored—you want them to be engaged and socialize with other seniors.
The facility should provide a plethora of engaging, life-enriching activities that keep the residents busy.
Excellent activities for seniors include: shopping, playing cards, watching movies, going to the park, and others.
Finally, pay attention to the nature of the atmosphere in the facility. An ideal senior living facility should have an inviting and calm atmosphere.
How do you feel when you visit the facility? You should be honest about it, as your loved one will have the same feelings when you bring them.
If you don’t enjoy the atmosphere and don’t feel comfortable being there, chances are your loved one also won’t have a good feeling and won’t enjoy being there.
To ensure you are on the same page with your loved ones, it’s wise that you bring them to the facility before you decide. Only proceed with preparations to make the big move if they like the facility.
Personalize their room
After you have found the ideal senior living facility and moved, you need to personalize your loved one’s room, so they have the feeling that they are still on familiar grounds.
You can bring their bed sheets, mattress, pillows, and toiletries, depending on the facility. Others will even allow you to get your bed, wardrobe, and sofa.
Find out what you can bring to the facility and use the allowed items to personalize the room.
You can even decorate the room with your loved one’s favorite color if the facility allows it.
Visit your loved ones regularly.
During the first few weeks or months, it’s common for your loved one to feel homesick, which can make them uneasy and want to come back home.
To prevent this from happening, visit them regularly. An excellent place to start is seeing them once a week. Of course, bring your family and, if possible, their friends from back home.
When you visit, give them all the attention and listen to what they have to say. You also should update them on what is going on back home.
Keep in touch
If the senior facility is far from your home and you can’t visit regularly, call your loved one regularly and check how they are doing.
You can call every few days and when you talk, ask about their transition, whether they are making friends, and how they are spending their time.
If you feel something is off, get in touch with the staff and enquire about the progress of your loved one.
Give your loved one time to transition emotionally
Regardless of how much you have talked about it, no amount of preparation can adequately prepare your loved one for the transition, so it’s wise that you give them time to transition emotionally.
It’s common for them to feel uneasy and want to come home or request a change when you take your loved one to the senior living facility.
Don’t cave into their demands and instead give the situation some time.
Of course, you shouldn’t force them to stay in the facility. Explain to your loved ones why they have the feelings and why they need to be patient.
A good rule of thumb is to give them a month. If they still feel uncomfortable after this time, it might be time to think about taking them to another facility where they will be more comfortable.
Comfort and peace should be your utmost focus.
For your loved ones to have an easy transition, you need to ensure they are comfortable and peaceful.
You do this by visiting the senior living facility and analyzing the living conditions beforehand. Of course, you need to ensure that the facility looks good and provides your loved ones with the services and comfort they need.
As mentioned above, you need to surround your loved ones with items they are familiar with, such as their beddings, wardrobes, and so on. This is to keep them at peace and prevent them from feeling that they are in a strange place.
While you should bring items your loved one is conversant with, only get what the facility allows—don’t sneak in condemned items. You don’t want to start your relationship on the wrong foot, do you?
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