When we found out that my mom was experiencing signs of dementia, we didn't take the news lightly. We were concerned about her well-being, and I knew that she couldn't keep living on her own. To keep her safe, I decided to enroll her in a nursing home that specialized in mental health care. She was concerned about the change at first, but as soon as she moved in, she only had positive things to say about her new digs. She loved the ability to get in touch with doctors the same day, and she was even able to make a few friends along the way. This blog is all about keeping your parents safe, happy and healthy.
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Keeping My Mom Safe, Happy, and Healthy
3 Ways to Make the Transition to Assisted Living Easier on Your Parents
Lisa Sutton
If your parents are getting ready to move into an assisted living facility, here are three ways that you can help make the transition go smoother for them.
#1 Make Sure Your Parents Maintain Their Hobbies
The first way you can help make the transition easier on your parents is by making sure that they are able to maintain their hobbies in their new home. For example, if your parents love to garden, purchase large flower pots for them that they can put on their front porch and balcony and use to grow flowers and fruits and vegetables. Make sure you also get together a small amount of gardening supplies for them. Or if your parents love to read magazines, make sure the address is changed on all of their subscriptions.
Being able to still do the things that they love at their new home will make the transition to senior housing easier on your parents.
#2 Help Your Parents Stay in Touch With Their Community
Second, help your parents stay in touch with their community. For example, if your parents have shopped at the same grocery stores for decades or have go to the same restaurant for lunch on Thursday for years, help them maintain these community connections. Going to the same place and being recognized by the people at these locations is a type of community, and it can be hard to be cut off from that connection.
Make sure that the senior housing office offers transportation, teach your parents how to use a ride sharing app, or make sure that someone from your family can provide your parents with transportation.
Sit down with your parents and help them come up with a list of events or places that they want to maintain contact with even though they've moved. Map out what day these events take place, and come up with a plan for their first few months to ensure that they maintain these connections. Make an intentional effort to ensure that your parents stay connected to their community.
#3 Visit Often
If your parents lived in the same house for decades, moving into a new home is going to be a big change, physically and emotionally. You can make this change a little easier by visiting often, especially over the first few months, after your parents move in. Let your parents know that you support them and are still there for them, and provide them with the emotional support that they need to make this large life change.
For more tips on making the transition to assisted living easier, talk to a facility like Stillwaters Colonial Residence.
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