Assisted living communities are great options for older adults. They are often a place where they can be assured of safety, health, and well-being as they age. However, transitioning from independent living to being placed in a home for the elderly can be challenging for most people. According to senior living experts, it takes between three and six months for an older adult to adjust to assisted living. To make it an easy task for your loved one, let us give you a few strategies to help them adapt.
Make their new home cozy & bespoke
You can help your loved one’s new surroundings look familiar by giving them a touch similar to a place they are used to. For example, you can pack and take their most prized possessions to their new homes in the assisted living facility. These may be photo albums, blankets, favorite chairs, or even heirlooms. You can even ask your loved one of the items they miss from their former home and make efforts to bring the items to their new home. For example, you can ask if they allow artwork so you can get some to hang in your loved one’s wall in the new home. The staff in a good assisted living facility should be able to help you give them a comfy experience as they transition.
Visit your loved one often
Frequent visits to your loved one’s new place of living will assist them through the early weeks after the relocation. They may ease any stress your loved one may have, that they will feel lonely or even abandoned. That said, allow them some time to adapt by themselves and branch out. Help them spend time making new friends as they adapt to the new environment.
You must ensure that your loved ones are healthy while living in an assisted living facility. Ensure that all needed medications are readily available and taken as prescribed. It is also essential that you ensure that they are safe in the facility.
You should know that some assisted care facilities can be a risk to your loved one, and its why you ought to keep an eye on them. For example, there are cases of injuries as a result of staff negligence. As a rule of thumb, get to the bottom of any issue and try to find out more. You can also report the matter to authorities and contact attorneys that specialize in helping the elderly. They will assess the issue and fight to protect the rights of your loved one.
Encourage your loved one to socialize
Try also to encourage your loved one to take part in such activities as group fitness classes, games, and other communal events. This will certainly help them settle in and adjust to the new environment much faster. The assisted living facility staff will help, but you ought to also chip in and do your bit to assist.
Final Remarks
Adapting to a new environment can be overwhelming for older adults. It takes time and effort not just from the facility but from your side as well. Remember to keep checking on their well-being and act on any signs of neglect that might be hurting them.
Throughout the year, our writers feature fresh, in-depth, and relevant information for our audience of 40,000+ healthcare leaders and professionals. As a healthcare business publication, we cover and cherish our relationship with the entire health care industry including administrators, nurses, physicians, physical therapists, pharmacists, and more. We cover a broad spectrum from hospitals to medical offices to outpatient services to eye surgery centers to university settings. We focus on rehabilitation, nursing homes, home care, hospice as well as men’s health, women’s heath, and pediatrics.
