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!
Debbie Rodriguez
Some people feel guilty about taking their loved ones to a nursing home, even though these centers offer proper care to the residents. This is because living far away from loved ones isn't easy. Unfortunately, some circumstances can force one to make this decision. This often occurs when a family member has an underlying condition that requires them to get continuous care.
Nursing home care happens to be one of the best solutions, whether they need long-term or short-term care. Once you take your loved one to a nursing home, you should not neglect them even if they get the best care. They still need to regularly spend time with family members, so knowing you will visit them can brighten their days. Here are some things you can do to make the visits positive and fun.
You Can Look at Old Photos
Since your loved one will be missing the entire family and cannot bring everyone along, you should get some photos or videos. Old photos are better because they can trigger happy memories or exciting stories that your loved one will be excited to share. Old and recent videos are good conversation starters, so it should be fun to check them out. Remember, you can use the photos to create a family tree if you have extra time or if your loved one likes such projects.
You Can Go for a Short Outing
If the nursing home allows healthy residents to go for short outings, then you should consider taking your loved one for a treat. You can go to a salon for a manicure or pedicure, get a massage, attend a wedding or religious service, visit a museum, or get a coffee or a favorite meal. While such a treat might not seem significant, your loved one will enjoy it. An ideal way to ensure they have fun is to let them decide the kind of outing they want to have.
You Can Listen to Music or Watch a TV Program
Another exciting activity is to listen to music. Music helps people reminisce, boosts moods and happiness, and minimizes agitation. You can even choose to dance with your loved ones to keep them smiling. Watching a favorite television program is also a great way to pass the time. This could be a new show or an old movie you both like. Either way, you will spend time together and have fun.
If one of your family members has gone to a nursing home, you can still create time to visit and do fun activities together. This will make their days more exciting regardless of their health condition or age. For more ideas, contact local nursing home care services.