6 Ways to Help Your Loved One Feel at Home in Assisted Living

The transition of a loved one moving to an assisted living or personal care facility can be difficult for both the person moving as well as the person helping them to move, whether it’s their child or a close family member. If you are in this situation with your loved one, we understand that you only want what’s best and safest for your loved one, and you want them to feel at home in their new living arrangement.

Your loved one may have reservations about moving and may be worried that they’ll feel isolated or uncomfortable. Fortunately, there are ways that you can help your loved one feel at home. Once your loved one is happy and comfortable in their new assisted living community, you will feel relief from your worries. Below are ways that you can help your loved one during this transition:

1) Visit Regularly – Choosing a schedule when you’ll be there to visit your loved one, or making plans to take them on small trips, can help to put your loved one at ease. They’ll look forward to your visits and know they can count on you to be there.

2) Surround Them with Their Personal Belongings – Bringing your loved one’s personal belongings to their new home, such as furniture and decorations that are special to them, will help them feel more comfortable in their new space. While they won’t be able to take all of their possessions with them, they can take comfort in surrounding themselves with some of their favorite things. When in the process of deciding what to take, make sure to consult with your loved one.

3) Remind Them About Safety – One of the main reasons many seniors move to personal care or assisted living communities is for their own safety. Gently remind them how safe their new home is compared to where they were before and how there is professional help available for anything they might need.

4) Limit Change – This may sound difficult to accomplish in this type of situation, but there are ways you can help your loved one adjust by limiting change in their new home and routine.  Avoid buying and/or presenting your loved one with too many new decorations and activities. Allow your loved one to get adjusted with the personal belongings they’re already used to and make sure they are able to enjoy the activities they enjoyed before.  Be mindful that your loved one may feel more at home by keeping their usual routine and hobbies as much as possible, and may need to ease into new situations at their own pace.

5) Encourage Them to Make Friends – Making your loved one aware that the other residents likely have a lot in common with them and are in the same situation may help encourage your loved one to make new friends. Once they start talking to others and taking part in new activities, they will start building their new home and social circle.

6) Be Reachable – Assure your loved one that you will always be available and only a phone call away. This will help them feel relieved and less isolated in their new living arrangement. Make sure your loved one has easy access to a phone that they can operate and they have your number, and the numbers of other close family members or friends, readily available.

When your loved one is transitioning to a personal care or assisted living community, understanding how they might feel will help you to be patient as they adjust. It may take some time and planning for you to help them feel at home, but remember that this decision is best for your loved one’s needs and you will get through it together.

If you have questions about Concordia or are interested in how we can help you and your loved one, please feel free to contact us any time via our online contact form or by calling our administrative headquarters at 724-352-1571. Or, visit the care levels & services page of our website to learn about the types of care we offer, including Personal Care, In-Home Care, Memory Care, Long-Term Nursing Care, Adult Day Services and more.