Are you worried about the safety of a dear family member who lives alone? Perhaps, your elderly mother has started falling frequently. Or, your older father might sometimes forget to take his medicine. If you can relate to either one of these worrisome situations, consider moving your senior relative into a nursing home. If your loved one doesn’t need round-the-clock care, you might wish to put him or her in an assisted living facility. Staying at this type of facility can provide a family member with a sense of independence. On this blog, I hope you will discover valuable tips to help you move an aging loved one into a nursing home or assisted living facility. Enjoy!
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Keeping Your Family Member Safe
3 Mistakes To Avoid When Helping Your Parent Transition To Assisted Living
Debbie Rodriguez
Children play a pivotal role in the transition process of their mother or father into an assisted living facility. However, not every well-meaning child is on the right side of the process. There are a number of innocent mistakes that people can make that only make an already stressful transition harder. Learn how you can stay on the right side of the battle.
Waving Goodbye to Patience
When your parent decided that an assisted living facility was the right option, both of you probably took your time to research facilities. In the same way it took time to make a decision, it will also take some time to adjust.
One of the worst things you can do is to lose your patience and show signs of aggravation if your loved one doesn't feel at home right away. This new living arrangement is a huge deal for your loved one, so the best thing you can do is to be patient while they adjust.
Being a Helicopter Child
You might have heard of a helicopter parent, but when it comes to an elderly parent — you can also be a helicopter child. A child that visits their parent for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and even in between might fall into this category.
If your parent wants you to visit this often, by all means, oblige as much as you can. However, if your loved one is giving you hints that they don't want you to visit as often or your visits are preventing your parent from venturing out and meeting other residents, you might need to scale back your visits. Socialization is an important part of the transition process.
Being a Silent Advocate
The staff at the assisted living facility are well-versed in their area of expertise, but not a single person in the facility knows your mother or father better than you. Make sure you aren't being a silent advocate. As a child, you are already your parent's advocate, but when you don't speak up about your parent's needs or wants, you become silent.
Your parent should be both safe and comfortable within the facility, so if you have a concern about their care or even something seemingly minor like getting your parent a room with the view of a tree because they like to birdwatch — speak up.
Every family dynamic is different, and as a result, not every person's experience will be the same. However, following these tips can help you ensure you are helping your loved one.
For more information about assisted living facilities, contact a company like Forest Hills of DC.
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