Watching your parents grow older can be challenging, especially when their health and physical abilities begin to deteriorate. Many senior citizens need regular assistance in order to safely perform daily tasks, but it can be difficult for adult children to provide this care if their own work and family responsibilities take up a significant amount of time.
Making the choice to move your aging parent into an assisted living facility can be a great way to ensure their safety. Here are three tips that you can use to help your aging parent transition to an assisted living facility in the future:
1. Decorate your parent's room with familiar objects.
Moving into a new environment can be frightening for aging individuals. If you want to decrease the amount of emotional trauma that may be associated with moving into an assisted living facility, it can be beneficial to decorate your parent's room before he or she arrives.
Be sure to bring favorite items from home, including family photographs, valued pieces of furniture, and your parent's own bedding. Being surrounded by familiar objects can help your parent feel more at home in his or her new surroundings, making the transition to an assisted living facility a little easier.
2. Get your parent involved in the assisted living community.
Aging individuals living in their own homes can find it difficult to engage in social outings. Making the move to an assisted living facility gives your aging parent easy access to a network of peers that can serve as new friends.
Many assisted living facilities plan daily activities to help residents stay active and engaged, and encouraging your parent to get involved in these activities can help ease his or her transition to an assisted living facility. Becoming involved in community activities and making friends within the facility will help your parent feel more at ease with his or her new surroundings.
3. Advise staff members on your parent's personality.
Since staff members will have a significant level of interaction with your aging parent once he or she moves into an assisted living center, it can be beneficial to advise these staff members on your parent's personality.
Letting staff know what type of music, food, and movies your parent prefers will help them engage in meaningful conversation with your parent. These meaningful conversations can help your aging parent feel more at home in an assisted living facility, helping to ease the transition from a private residence into an assisted living community.
Helping to make the transition to assisted living easier for your parent will ensure that your aging loved one can seamlessly move into an assisted living facility in the future.
Contact local assisted living facilities for more information and assistance.
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