For your loved one, moving to a senior living community due to worsening health conditions can be a difficult and painful experience. They might not know what to expect and you might be inexperienced as well, which can make this a challenging situation to navigate. In spite of this process being one that you might be unfamiliar with, here are some great tips that can help you guide your loved one through their memory care transition in a senior living community.
Standardize What You Decide to Tell Your Loved One
If you live with a big family, it’s important that there’s consistency when you communicate with your parent so that they don’t get confused or unnecessarily worried by the many opinions.
Help Your Loved One Pack
As you pack with your loved one, you can get more time to bond with them and be more involved in this moving process.
Help Your Loved One Decorate Their Living Space
Decorating your loved one’s living space might make a new and unfamiliar surrounding feel more like home for them and make this move easier on them.
Encourage Your Loved One to Meet New People
The best part about retirement communities would be the newfound friendships that your loved one can forge. These social connections they form can help them to feel more at home and makes it easier to be well-adjusted.
Address Your Parent’s Worries
Other than just listening to your loved one, you should try to alleviate their worries and remind them that this move will not be as frightening as they deem it to be.
Talk to Your Loved One about Their Feelings
Understanding your loved one’s emotions can help you to understand what’s on their minds and ease those worries. It also makes them feel more connected to you!
Speak to the Team at the Senior Living Community
The experienced team that will be helping your loved one through their personalized memory care program is extremely important and you should maintain a friendly relationship with them. Speaking to them and educating them about the behavior of your loved one can ease the moving process for your parent.
Remain Connected to Your Parent
If you live with your loved one, it might make the process of transitioning to memory care easier if you still regularly speak to them and check up on them, which might help to ease feelings of separation and anxiety.
Give Your Loved One Space
The adjustment period when your loved one moves to a new location may be challenging for them and they might need some time alone to get accustomed to their new lifestyle. Remember to give your loved one space to process their emotions.
Maintain a Positive Attitude
Be flexible and accept that you might need to accept certain changes and that nothing is set in stone. If your loved one does not enjoy their time at a senior living community, you should be open to moving them to a place they might be more comfortable.
