As you already know, there’s a lot to think about when it comes to moving yourself or an elderly loved one from home to an assisted living facility. Let’s start by saying that the entire process is not going to be easy, as it involves many bittersweet feelings. While there’s no way to avoid these emotions, there are steps you can take to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible logistically and emotionally. We’ve compiled a list of things you’ll need to consider when moving yourself or a senior family member from home into an assisted living facility.
Assessing the Need for Assisted Living
Determining whether
assisted living is the right next step will involve difficult but necessary conversations with medical professionals, family members, and friends who know you or your loved one well. You will need to be honest about your loved one’s ability to take care of daily household and property maintenance. You’ll also need to ensure you and your loved one can afford to pay for assisted living, which may need to be determined by a financial professional.
Choosing the Right Assisted Living Facility
Take the time to do your research into assisted living facilities in the area. Especially take note of the community environment, amenities, dining facilities, and overall feel of each place.
Schedule a meeting with the leadership and staff of each facility and prepare a list of questions you’d like to ask them. Most importantly, give yourself plenty of time to complete this step, as it will prevent feeling pressured to find someplace soon.
Preparing Emotionally for the Move
No matter how prepared or “ready” you or your elderly loved one is to move into an assisted living facility, there are still going to be strong emotions. Keep in mind that it is completely normal to have intense or even mixed feelings about this transition. It’s a big life step, after all. Take advantage of your complete social circle, including family, friends, organizations, or even online resources. Discussing these feelings with sympathetic listeners can be very therapeutic. The important thing to keep in mind is that each person processes these feelings differently and will therefore have different timelines for going through them.
Downsizing and Organizing Belongings
Most of the time, moving from a home to an assisted living facility will mean a smaller living space. Therefore, you’ll need to find new homes for some of your or your loved one’s things. It’s imperative to know exactly how much space you’ll have before making any decisions. Ask about the floor plan of the new space and take photographs if possible. Furthermore, take the amenities of the facility into account. For example, if the assisted living facility provides three meals included with rent, you won’t need to pack any pots and pans. However, if the apartment contains a kitchenette, you may want to bring some pots and pans as well as a few coffee mugs, glasses, and plates.
Coordinating the Move: Logistics and Support
Work with the staff of the chosen assisted living facility to schedule and prepare for the move. First, schedule a move-in date. Then work backwards from there, planning things like packing, paperwork, and legal matters. While moving in will typically only take one day, the planning and organizing process will take much longer than that. Think about hiring a reputable senior moving manager and/or a moving crew if you or your loved one will need assistance moving things and can’t count on help from family or friends.
Setting Up the New Living Space
Making your or your loved one’s new living quarters look like the old ones as much as possible can ease the transition. Decorate and arrange furniture as closely as you can to the setup of the old home. Bring plenty of sentimental items and put them on display, as these can really boost the mood.
Helping Seniors Settle In: Support and Encouragement
No matter how much you prepare for the move, there are probably going to be some strange feelings, especially during the first week or so at the new home. Patience is key here. Remember that while the actual moving process will only take a day or two, adjusting to the new surroundings may take quite a bit longer. Get to know (or encourage your loved one to get to know) the new neighbors, personalize the space to make it feel like home, and know where any emergency call devices are located.
Maintaining Family Connections After the Move
Caretakers and family members should visit loved ones as much as possible, especially during the first few weeks at the new facility. If you can, try and develop a consistent visitation schedule. Additionally, make sure you’re spending ample time with your loved one during each visit. Visiting during mealtimes is a good idea to accomplish this.
Call Heathwood to Schedule a Tour
Heathwood Assisted Living and Memory Care has two locations in Western New York – Penfield and Williamsville – to serve seniors in need of a higher level of care. We do everything we can to make Heathwood feel like home. Our compassionate staff takes care of all the daily chores so residents can focus on relaxing and doing things they enjoy. All services are tailored to the individual needs of each resident.
Visit
our website to take a virtual tour of Heathwood or
contact us to schedule a tour in person with one of our staff members.
