Helping Seniors with Dementia Move to Assisted Living

June 22, 2020 0 Comment Category: Assisted Living

Seniors with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia can get annoyed and frustrated with little things. It is seen that most family members have a difficult time managing the needs of their elders with dementia, which is why they turn to assisted living communities for help.

An assisted living home will have professional caregivers at the site to help seniors with all their needs. They make sure that seniors with memory problems live a comfortable and contented life when there. However, moving a senior with Alzheimer’s or dementia to the assisted living community can be a bit challenging at first. The change to a new environment can be traumatic for some seniors and can even make their symptoms worse. That is why you should take all the steps necessary to make the move as smooth as possible. Below are some tips to help you out in that regard.

Set your Goals Straight

As soon as your senior starts feeling agitated due to their condition and forgetfulness, you should start planning the move to an assisted living community. Communicate with your senior, try to learn about their preferences, and focus on their needs to choose the best assisted living home for meeting those requirements. This will help to decrease the anxiety related to the move. Besides, it will also make you feel more confident knowing that you have made the right choice.

Create a Familiar Environment

Visit the assisted living facility in person and check the amenities and facilities they provide. See how the room layout is and use the floor plan to create a space that is similar to the one your elderly parent or grandparent is familiar with. You can include some personal items in the room too to make it more recognizable and friendly for your senior, such as furniture, photo frames, lighting, and wall fixtures.

Establish a Timeline for the Move

Once you have selected the right assisted living home for your senior, start working on a timeline for the move. Schedule a few visits to the community with your senior and show them around. You can also ask the assisted living facility for a professional move manager to make the process simpler. They will help you with all the important tasks, be it hiring a moving agency or donating the belongings of your senior to a charity if they no longer need them.

Be Prepared for the Moving Day

You need to plan for the moving day and ensure that your senior parent or grandparent is somewhere safe when the moving company packs their belongings to take to the assisted living home. You may take your senior to a friend’s place so that they stay occupied as you supervise the movers. You can also ask a friend or close relative to take your loved one to the assisted living community ahead of you.

Plan the Family Visitation Schedule

Consult with the assisted living community staff about the regulations on family visitations and prepare a schedule according to that. Most assisted living facilities support regular visitations from loved ones to ensure that their residents remain happy and do not feel abandoned. You can schedule 2 – 3 visits per week to the senior care community to start and adjust the schedule accordingly as your elderly parent or grandparent gets accustomed to the new environment.

You can choose an assisted living home in your neighborhood or another state as per the preferences and needs of your loved one. If you are unable to visit your senior in person because of the location, then make sure that you stay connected with them through technology. You can use any video calling app to check on them regularly and plan a bi-weekly or monthly personal visit as applicable.