Changes in life’s circumstances can often feel out of our control. You want to maintain some independence and autonomy. Teenagers often fight for their independence and freedom from their parents, but when aging seniors need support and a little assistance with everyday tasks, it can feel as though they are regressing to those days when they depended on mom and dad. Now, though, they are often dependent on adult children or spouse, a brother or sister who lives nearby, or other family members who have the best of intentions, but may not know the best way to go about it. For these seniors who need elder care services, assisted living is one of the best options to consider, but it’s not always easy for many to make this adjustment.
We have put together a few tips to help aging men and women feel more comfortable and adjust better when they call assisted living for their elder care their home for the first time.
Tip #1: Look at the positives first.
It is extremely easy and almost the default for many Americans to focus on the negative aspects of life, almost to the exclusion of all positives. There are positive aspects that assisted living offers elderly men and women, especially those who may have difficulty tending to their Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) at home alone.
Even though you may lament the loss of your independence (or perceived independence) or no longer being able to call your home or apartment “home,” that doesn’t mean it’s all negative.
Find a way to focus on the positives, even if there are only a few that you can think of off the top of your head. They might include reconnecting with friends you haven’t seen in a while, no longer having to cook or clean for yourself, having access to more entertainment, perhaps a fitness facility if there is one on-site, or being able to play games with other seniors at any time.
Tip #2: Be outgoing in your new home.
It’s easy to feel frustrated or want to curl up into a ball and disappear, but that’s the last thing you should want to do when you first move into assisted living. When you’re comfortable, keep the door open as an invitation to other residents to say hello. Walk the corridors. Sit in the common areas. Speak to staff members. Enjoy a nice meal in the restaurant and, if somebody asks if they can join you, why not say yes?
Tip #3: See if the facility offers respite care first.
You may not have decided yet on assisted living, but it’s in discussion. You may not know a lot about it, and it’s difficult to make a well-informed decision when you don’t know much about a specific topic, but if the assisted living facility you are considering offers respite care, look into that first.
Respite care is a short-term stay option. It might be for a week or even just a few days, possibly even just overnights for a while. It will give you insight into what the facility is like, what it would be like to live there, meet some of the residents, perhaps make friends, and realize this truly would be a great option for you moving forward.
Tip #4: Talk to staff and ask questions.
If you take a tour of a facility, be sure to speak to those staff members and administrators before you commit. Ask specific questions, especially those things that are on your mind. If you have a question about living there, ask it. Don’t feel as though it is wrong or stupid because there is no such thing (unless you don’t ask it).
The more you talk to people and ask questions, the easier it will be to see how adapting to assisted living for elder care will be smoother than you ever thought possible.
If you or an aging loved one is considering a move to an Assisted Living Facility for Elder Care Services in Marietta GA please contact the caring staff at Woodland Ridge today. 770-431-7055
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