Setting Realistic Expectations for the First Month after Moving To Senior Living

Moving from one home to another can be an overwhelming and emotional experience at any age. Moving to a new home from one that you have been living for since years is even more difficult. This transition is just as difficult for senior loved ones as it can be for their caregivers during a transition to an assisted living facility.

This change can bring about many emotions such as regret, dread, excitement and even uncertainty and guilt. However, in most cases, a move to an assisted living facility is the best option for the senior loved ones as well as their caregivers.

The easiest way to deal with the transition, as is with anything else in life is to be prepared for it and set realistic expectations. This includes being prepared for both good and bad days, for the first few months.

What’s The First Step?

Moving to a senior living facility is usually a process that takes some time. The first step to moving your loved one to a facility is to begin by having a conversation.

It is important to prepare them in advance of what may come and why it is necessary. This conversation may be difficult and take its toll on you as a caregiver as well as your loved one. But, stay calm. There is nothing to feel guilty about when you have your loved one’s best interest at heart.

Managing Expectations

The move to an assisted living facility gives you and your loved ones to toy with the idea and think about how life may be moving ahead. Think back to your first day of school or when you moved out of your parent’s home.

The excitement of new horizons being open for you brought you joy and happiness. But there was probably also a fear of the unknown, a sense of uncertainty that loomed over your head.

It’s the very same with moving to a senior care facility. One of the most important aspects of ensuring a smooth transition is to manage expectations. This refers to your own expectations from a senior living facility as a caregiver, as a family as well as those of your senior loved one. Here are a few tips that may prove to be helpful.

Get Close Friends and Family Involved

The biggest fear with moving to a new community for senior loved ones, is the fear of losing their social connections. This is closely tied to their gear of abandonment. While you may know that this is untrue and it will most likely not play out as it is in their imaginings, the best way to reduce that fear is to make all closed friends and family of the senior loved one involved.

Most senior living facilities recommend that the new home of your senior loved one be turned into a personal space with the addition of decoration items of small furniture to make it feel more home-like.

What helps further this process is the involvement of family members which provides the support and the boost of confidence your senior loved one is so desperately searching for.

Have family involved in the process of being there physically to help with the packing, unpacking and redecorating. You can also try having a few meals with your loved one at the community so that they feel less alone.

Active Listening and Practicing Patience

Your senior loved one will be going through one of the biggest changes in their life since getting married and having children. This is why, it is normal for them to experience emotional ups and downs.

Don’t try to shrug their concerns off. Instead, be patient and try to talk things out and actively listen to their concerns so that you can address them effectively.

Visit the Facility Often before Moving and Plan a Housewarming Party

One of the easiest ways to lessen the nervousness before making the move is to allow your senior loved one to familiarize them with the environment. Visit the facility or apartment well ahead of the actual moving date a few times before the big day. Learn how to get from the dining hall to the senior’s new room and walk with them through the process.

Upon the arrival of the big day, plan a housewarming party for your loved one. This will give them a chance to show off their new living space and allow them to meet old friends and make new ones at the facility.

Looking for senior care placement options in the Kansas City metropolitan area?

Certified Senior Advisor, Ralph Caro, has an experience of over 35 years in senior care placement. Having personal as well as professional experience from having to choose an assisted living option for his own mother, Caro understands the needs and concerns of seniors and their caregivers. This is why he provides his consultations free of charge  to those finding a package suited to their budget.

Get in touch with Ralph Caro here and explore your options for senior care placement services in Kansas City metropolitan area, today!