How to Make the Transition to Assisted Living Easier
Written by TYE Medical on May 17th 2023
Most older adults would prefer to stay in their own homes indefinitely. It’s familiar, comfortable, and symbolizes independence. But this goal isn’t achievable for everyone, and sometimes assisted living is the most beneficial option.
But moving from home to a community environment poses logistical challenges and incites emotional responses. It’s not often easy, even if it’s the best arrangement. Despite the complexities, you can make the transition easier for you or your loved one if you make these adjustments and incorporate these tips.
Prepare Early for Assisted Living
As soon as the possibility of assisted living arises, even if your loved one is still far from the day, begin discussing and researching your options. It’s better to be prepared for something that may not happen than to rush into a decision at the last minute. This is especially true when it comes to assisted living options. It’s important you pinpoint a supportive community that is a right fit for your loved one. Finances are essential to plan for and it may take years to get the details in order.
It’s also possible that the communities on your shortlist have waitlists. It’s not uncommon for popular, specialized, or in-demand facilities to stay full, so without advance planning your loved one likely won’t get in at the right time. Early preparation can take much of the stress out of the transition to assisted living.
Develop a Community Mindset
One of the biggest benefits of an assisted living community is the social factor. As people age and struggle with health issues, it's common to want to isolate and withdraw from social activity. But one of the healthiest things a senior can do is engage socially and focus on adding to the lives of others.
An others-focused mindset can draw seniors out of themselves and shift their focus away from their own struggles. You try to help your loved one understand that engaging with others can help them continue to fulfill their purpose and even enjoy life.
And it’s worth noting that much research into dementia and Alzheimer's indicates that an active social life is also one of the best things a senior can do to boost brain health and ward off cognitive decline. In this regard, expanding your loved ones social life through assisted living communities could be an all-round boost to health and attitude.
Discuss Location Options
Moving into an assisted living community not only benefits your loved one in several ways, it often relieves stress on the family. As a senior becomes more dependent, increased care is required that a family isn’t always equipped to supply.
But there are still decisions to be made if you don’t live in the same local area as your family member. While increased care is offered through the facility, someone will need to manage their affairs, make decisions, and even come to the facility as needed. If your loved one becomes acutely sick or falls, the staff may require you to assess the situation and make some judgment calls.
If you live at a distance, it’s best to start thinking about options. You can continue to manage the situation from a distance, move your loved one to a facility nearer to you, or move closer to your senior’s local area. Some seniors find it difficult to not only leave their home but also leave a local community they’ve lived in for perhaps decades or their entire life.
It’s important to have these conversations with your senior family member and others in the family to decide the best course of action for everyone.
Consider Medical Care
As you narrow your options, evaluate what kind of medical care the communities offer. Since you’re planning in advance, you probably won’t know the extent of your senior’s medical needs. Therefore, it’s important to seek a facility with more medical care options rather than less. This will bring peace of mind as you plan for the unknown future.
And as you research, determine the specific types of care offered and details about how medical care works in the community. What medical staff is on site if any? Who are the providers? What is routine care like? And ask about care for your loved one’s current medical conditions.
Plan for the Cost of Assisted Living
This probably goes without saying, but it’s crucial to carefully compare the cost of assisted living communities. It takes time and thought, which is why advanced preparation is necessary to move forward at the right time wisely.
Comparing costs isn’t as easy as you might think. Often, there is a base cost plus additional costs for added services as needs arise. Be sure you clearly understand what services and fees are included in the base price and what additional charges include. Keep in mind that you will be signing a contract and are entering into a financial agreement.
As you weigh your options, try to find the balance between affordability and the most included services. While your loved one might not have certain needs now, you want related services to be ready and available if they become necessary.
Connect with Your First Choice
Once you’ve waded through all the choices, pros, and cons, you’ll make a decision about your first choice for an assisted living community. Now is the time to verify this decision by getting familiar with your loved one’s future home. If you’re planning well in advance, a visit or two is still a good idea. This can give you clarity on whether you are on track with a future facility.
But at some point, you and your senior family member will want to make several visits to get a feel for the community, atmosphere, and general organization of the facility. You can attend events and your loved one can get to know some of the residents and potential residents. It’s also a great idea to meet staff.
Visiting a community a couple of times might not be enough to get an accurate picture of what defines the community and what to expect as a resident. So, over time, it’s helpful to visit and attend several times to decipher what is consistently good (or not so good) about the community.
This is also a great time to get those random or detailed questions answered, whether by residents or staff.
Settling Into a New Community
At some point, you’ll be ready to take next steps and move forward. But before you unpack the first bag, there will be paperwork–and a lot of it. Most assisted living communities offer the services of a resident liaison to answer your questions and guide you through the process. You can also get assistance from an outside senior care consultant who has a more neutral role. Be sure to use one of these options to make the transition to assisted living lower stress.
It is important that your loved one’s new space feels like home. Listen to her preferences about arranging rooms even if it’s not how you would do it. Ensure there are plenty of familiar items that add a sense of connection and comfort.
It’s also helpful that you stay nearby for a few days to walk them around and help familiarize them with their new community. This eases much stress for them, especially if they have any type of cognitive decline that would make them more uneasy about a new place. In these cases, it’s best to spend extra time with them, walking the same routes repeatedly to help them become as familiar as possible with the layout of their new environment. This can ward off disorienting feelings.
This is also a great time to help your family members find activities that are meaningful and engaging. Connect them with activities that relate to their current interest and then find one or two that could expand their skills or challenge them appropriately. They needed some extra encouragement during this transition phase.
Be Patient During the Transition
It will take some people longer than others to settle in and become comfortable in their new environment. This means you can expect good days and bad days, but over time you should positivity win over as comfort levels increase.
Encourage social engagement as you aid in the settling process. You may need to take the lead if your loved one is feeling withdrawn or battling with any stage of dementia. Help them establish a budding friendship or two to help them feel connected and prevent loneliness.
The assisted living community should have a printed schedule for each resident that includes routine social events, activities, and community times. Help your seniors locate this and encourage them to participate in several items on the schedule. You might even make an individual schedule for your loved one that includes customized choices for social activities. This can help them maintain clarity, establish a routine, and remove the pressure of decision-making.
With the right advanced preparation, you can ensure a smooth transition into assisted living for your senior loved one and for your family.
