Guest Blog:How to Ease the Transition to Assisted Living

If your loved one is considering moving into an assisted living situation of some sort, you’re likely have a lot of concerns about the type of conditions they will encounter.  They may have some reservations when it comes to counting on others for care and services because they’ve been taking care of themselves for so long.  But if you can no longer deny that your loved one needs some help, then it’s time to think about transitioning to some type of assisted living.

The move can be a hard one on many levels.  Not only will your loved one likely be moving to another location (possibly away from their long-time family home), and having to give up the things that are important to them and, if possible, make them part of the search.

So here are just a few areas that should be addressed when it comes to making the move and how your loved one will adjust to the transition.

1. Services.  The main reason to move to any type of assisted living situation is the services provided.  So you need to think about what will really make their life easier.  Some facilities provide housekeepers, cooks, and transportation services, which most seniors will find useful.  If they are a social butterfly still fairly active, they may want more.  Be sure to ask about activities such as social mixers and movie nights and exercise.
2. Medical care.  The older we get the more likely we are to develop medical issues (both physical and mental).  If this is a concern then the level of medical care provided by a facility is important to address.  The ability to choose care providers will make a big difference in how your loved one handle this major life change.
3. Location.  To not feel cut off from everyone and everything that connect them to their previous life, look for a facility that is near home.  The location of their new home is important because it can affect how connected they feel to family and to the world in general.
4. Allowances.  Your loved one may have the option to bring their furnishings and personal possessions (although they might have to downsize a bit) as well as pets.  For many people, being surrounded by familiar belongings can make moving to a new home much easier.
5. Privacy and independence.  By far the biggest concern that most seniors face when considering a retirement home.  If your loved one has serious health issues, they might not have much choice when it comes to having medical staff popping in and out.

About the Author: Today’s guest post comes from Evan Fischer is a freelance writer and part-time student at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California.