Fostering Independence: Helping Your Loved One Adjust To An Assisted Living Facility

Posted on: 7 December 2015

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Unlike a nursing home that will provide all the care one needs, an assisted living facility refrains from providing a level of care that coincides with a nursing home. An assisted living facility is designed to assist individuals in caring for themselves, and the goal is to foster as much independence as possible. This type of environment is perfect for one who is still mobile, capable of getting dressed on their own, but one who needs reminders to take their medications on a daily basis. You can help your loved one adjust to an assisted living facility by encouraging their independence, showing them what they are still capable of doing on their own.

Set Up Their Medication in Pill Boxes

Assisted living facilities do not give out medication to the residents that live there, but they do provide reminders when it is time to take medication. To help your loved one adjust to the facility, make sure that their medications are clearly presented in a pill container. This will help avoid confusion for your loved one, and this is probably something you were already doing for them when they were at home anyway. You will be responsible for making sure these pill containers are filled, as staff are not allowed to dispense medication to your loved one.

Show Them Around the Facility

While your loved one has probably had a tour of the new assisted living facility they have moved into, take a walk with them around the facility and become familiar with it. Find out where the dining room is, where activities are held, and ask questions if you have any about the daily schedule. Your loved one will appreciate learning about the facility with a familiar person at their side. It isn't easy for an older person to move out of the comfort of their own home, and simply by being there you are providing support.

Eat a Meal Together

Remind your loved one that they have choices during their day, and that includes what they will like to eat for each meal. While there will be a main meal served, there should be alternative options for those that aren't interested in the main meal. Take the time to sit down and enjoy a meal with your loved one, simply to spend time together and get to know the routine of the facility. The more you know about the assisted living facility, the better you will be able to help your loved one adjust to their new surroundings.