How To Help Your Parent Adjust To Assisted Living

Many seniors begin having trouble living alone at home, and this is why a lot of them will make the decision to move to an assisted living facility. This move is not usually easy for a senior though, and you may need to encourage your parent to make the move and be there to help him or her adjust to this new setting and way of life. Here are three important things you can do for your parent to help him or her adjust quickly and easily.

Stay involved

The number one thing you can do for your parent is stay involved with his or her life. Moving to a new place can be hard on a senior, and your parent might really rely on you during this time. If you can stay really involved with your parent at the assisted living facility, it might help him or her cope easier.

This will mean visiting your parent as often as you possibly can. It may also involve taking your parent out for the day or for lunch every now and then. Staying involved will provide comfort and consistency for your parent, and seeing you will probably help him or her feel better about the move.

Make the room look and feel like home

Making your parent's room look and feel more like home is also a great idea for helping him or her adjust to this new environment. You can do this by hanging up family photos around the house, and you may even be able to bring some of your parent's favorite furniture, blankets, and decorations.

Give your parent things to do

A third good thing you can do to help your parent adjust is try to keep him or her busy. Talk to the staff at the facility and find out what activities are offered for the residents. They will probably give you a calendar that lists all the events and activities for the entire month, and you can hang this on the wall in your parent's room. From there, encourage your parent to attend some of them, and you could even offer to go with. Most facilities encourage participation from relatives and friends of the residents, and this would be a great way to get your parent involved.

You could also help your parent stay busy by providing him or her with things to do. This could include crossword puzzle books, reading books, crafts, and anything else your parent may enjoy.

Moving a parent from his or her home to a new place can be a difficult transition for your mom or dad, but you can help. To learn more about this, contact an assisted living facility in your area.

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