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Making the decision to move a parent to assisted living is complicated.
You may feel anxious, stressed, and maybe a little guilty. Your parents may be afraid, overwhelmed, or hopeful. Fortunately, assisted living communities are designed to accommodate the specific needs of older adults.
Keep reading for helpful tips for making your parent's transition to assisted living easier, covering emotional support, preparation, and adjusting to new routines.
Do Your Research
Talk with your parents about what they're looking for in a community and what’s important to them. Encourage them to share their concerns and preferences. This will help you research and identify assisted living communities that are a good fit and eliminate those that aren’t.
Ask friends, family, neighbors, and your parent’s physician for recommendations for assisted living communities in your area.
Visit their websites, make a list of communities meeting your needs, and contact them to set up tours.
Visit Assisted Living Communities Together
Most assisted living communities offer in-person and virtual tours so residents can experience the community.
Touring different communities with your parents will make them more comfortable and confident in their decision-making. During your tour, talk to residents, meet staff, sample a meal, check out activities, and look at available apartments.
Visiting different assisted living communities together gives you an opportunity to observe the community's cleanliness, social atmosphere, and available living spaces.
Encourage your parents to ask questions about the daily schedule, amenities, security measures, health and wellness programs, and services.
Help Your Parents Create a Comfortable Living Space
One of the best ways to ease your parent’s transition to assisted living is to help them decorate and create a comfortable living space.
Help them decorate their new apartment with familiar items, such as favorite furniture, artwork, books, family photos, and cherished heirlooms.
Create a cozy living space with luxe blankets, candles, plants, and beautiful accessories. This will help them feel comfortable and at home in their new living space.
Visit Your Parents Often
Frequent visits and phone calls will help your parents feel loved and supported as they adjust to assisted living.
Familiar faces and visits are essential, especially when your parents are adjusting to their new environment.
Surprise them by bringing their grandkids, thoughtful gifts, or favorite foods. Meet their neighbors, share a meal, or participate in some of the planned activities and events.
Many assisted living communities offer solutions so families can stay connected even when they can’t visit in person. Allegro’s Connected Living program uses innovative technology to help residents communicate with their families through photo and video sharing, video conferencing, or live streaming.
Frequent check-ins can also help you monitor their care, get acquainted with staff, and assess your parent’s physical and emotional well-being.
Encourage Social Engagement
Encourage your parents to meet their neighbors and participate in activities and onsite events.
Assisted living communities are designed to keep residents active and engaged. Many communities offer an array of activities and social events, including book clubs, happy hours, continuing education courses, and offsite excursions.
Engaging with other residents and participating in the community will help them adjust to their new surroundings.
Be Patient
Moving to an assisted living community is a significant step, and transitioning to this new lifestyle takes time. Don’t expect your parents to adjust right away. Give them time to get acclimated to their new environment. Remember, this is new to them, and they will change on their own time, not yours.
Be patient, and don’t push. Give them time to meet people and get involved in their new community. Reassure them when needed, remain positive, check in often, and listen to their concerns.
We Can Help Ease the Transition
Parents mean everything. They’re protectors, confidants, caregivers, and they love unconditionally. As our parents age, sometimes it becomes necessary to have help making sure they’re taken care of beyond what we can provide.
Researching available assisted living communities in your area, touring communities with your parents, visiting them often, and getting them involved can help ease your parents into assisted living.
Download our free guides for helpful tips and information regarding transitioning to senior living, and then reach out to our advisors to answer any other questions you have!
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