How to Help a Senior Adjust to Independent Living

Adjusting to a big change in life can be difficult, and moving into an assisted living residence it’s not the exception. However, your senior loved one can benefit greatly from being a part of a supportive community.

After the initial move-in period, seniors adapt quickly and come to recognize that aspects of assisted living that they thought would be restrictive, are actually beneficial.

The following tips are very important to help seniors 

Focus on the senior’s Independence.
The elderly in independent living settings are still capable of maintaining a relatively active and autonomous lifestyle, much more than living at home. 

The assisted living facility's purpose is to support an elder’s ability to remain self-sufficient, helping with responsibilities like house-keeping, transportation, preparing meals, and laundry to allow the seniors to be able to focus on doing things they enjoy. 

They’ll be capable of participating in activities that they may not otherwise have had access to, and that is a significant experience that should be encouraged by relatives. 

Acknowledge your loved one’s loss
Realizing what your loved one is leaving behind is an important way to be empathetic and to ease the transition to assisted living with your support. 

They might grieve their home and the memories and comfort they enjoyed there for some time. Do whatever helps them find peace in parting ways with their home and neighborhood. For instance, some elderly enjoy seeing pictures of their house, video chatting with friends, or to receive calls from neighbors. 

Add a personal touch to the new living space
Bringing a few favorite decoration items to their new living space is a great way to help them feel at home quickly. 

Some elderly adults have been collecting cherished items for decades, so set aside the time necessary to help your senior loved one go through their possessions and decide which special things to take. 

If you can, assist with the unpacking and decorating of your elderly loved one’s new home and make it a pleasant and exciting experience.

Working together to make the new living space feel homey and reflect the senior’s personality can help them focus on the positive things that lie ahead. 

Stay involved

Everyone needs time to adjust to new surroundings and new routines. Staying involved in some meaningful way in your parents or senior loved one’s lives will help them to feel happy and confident in their new environment. 

Keep the lines of communication flowing and offer much-needed encouragement, positive reassurance, and support to help them adjust to the new lifestyle.

While it is important for friends and family to visit an elder in independent living, and keep in touch constantly, the bulk of a resident’s day-to-day social interactions should be with their peers. Therefore, it’s crucial to encourage your senior loved one to make friends and to connect early on with other elders in the community. 

At Bridgeway Care and Rehabilitation, we are focused on providing compassionate, top-quality care for seniors in a safe atmosphere that feels like home.

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