Helping a Parent Make the Transition to Assisted Living

Posted: March 15, 2022

Moving to a new home is one of life’s most stressful events. Helping a parent transition from living in their own home to an assisted living community, even if they are ready and willing to move, can be challenging for the entire family. Employing a few strategies before, during and after the move can help ease the process and prepare your parent for this new phase of life.

By taking our assisted living assessment test it can offer insights about your options and give you personalized results.

Preparing Emotionally to Move

Many older adults prefer to stay in their home as long as possible, however, home is not always the safest place for your aging parents. If your parents are reluctant to make the transition to assisted living, it is best to look for natural opportunities to bring up the advantages of living in an assisted living community. For example, if your parent is telling you how difficult it is to keep up with laundry or they are saying they are lonely, use that opportunity to broach the subject. It is better to have several conversations over time than to wait until a health emergency occurs and a move becomes imperative. Learn about the myths of assisted living and when it is the right choice.

It’s important to listen to your parent’s concerns and be patient as they process. They may express excitement about the idea of moving one day and the next day decide it is out of the question. Encourage and respect your parent’s independence while also being open and honest about the realities of their situation.

Before moving, help your parent get a feel for what daily life will be like in the community. Look at the community’s social media pages, like Facebook, to see what sort of life-enrichment activities are happening. Investigate the amenities and services, and contact the community to see if your parents could participate in any upcoming events they have planned.

The more of a connection you can build with the community before the move, the easier the transition will be for both you and your parent.

Downsizing and Moving

Once the move has been scheduled, your parents may worry about what furniture or memorabilia they can take with them. Find out what is important to them. Are there items they would like to give to a family member? Are there specific items they feel they cannot part with? Measure the furniture they would like to bring and review the floor plan and square footage to create a layout of their new space.

You want your parent to feel at home in their assisted living apartment. You’ll want to bring furniture, pictures, sentimental items and decorations that reflect their personality. On moving day, Cappella Pueblo West team members will be there to help your parent feel at home in our assisted living community.

Tips for a Caring Transition

As moving day approaches, it is normal for your parent to feel apprehensive. You may feel guilty and second guess your decision. It will take time for everyone to adjust to this new phase of life. Here are a few tips to ease the transition process:

• Acknowledge the difficulty and remember the advantages of living in a community. Your parent will receive the support they need while living as independently as possible.
• Encourage your parent to get involved and socialize right away. They should eat in the dining room, consider joining a group or a fitness class. A new friend in a new place will make a huge difference.
• Make sure your parent feels empowered to ask questions of team members in the community.
• Ask your parent how often they would like you to visit or call. You want to give them space to adjust to their new environment, but they should also know they can call you when they need to.
• Help your parent stay involved in activities outside the community that are familiar to them, like church or a hobby group.
• Consider rallying friends, family members, and former neighbors to send housewarming cards during the first few weeks.

Empowering Adults at Cappella Pueblo West

From initial connection to move-in and beyond, our assisted living community in Pueblo, Colorado, seeks to encourage growth, passion, and enthusiasm for all of life’s promises and possibilities. We provide an environment where older adults are empowered to live with purpose. Empowering older adults to make their own decisions takes some of the codependency out of the assisted living lifestyle and gives seniors control of the things they wish to control. Including your parent in the decision-making throughout the process will help smooth the transition to assisted living.

At Cappella Pueblo West, our philosophy of care includes an emphasis on meaningful relationships and collaboration of care with partners, family members, and the residents themselves. Residents enjoy the freedom to engage in a variety of physical and cognitive activities. They may choose to lead some activities, or they can choose not to participate and live as independently as they wish. Learn more about our residents and their experiences at our assisted living community. 

Helping your parent make the transition to assisted living can feel hard, and we our caring team is here to support you before, during, and after your parent’s transition to assisted living. Please contact us with questions or to schedule a live virtual tour today.