The transition to a memory care community can feel very overwhelming for family members who have been taking care of a loved one. You may worry about how your loved one will react or if they will settle into the memory care community.To create a smooth transition that sets your loved one up for success in this new stage of life, there are certain things you can do. In this blog post, we will be going over some tips that can help when you are moving your loved one to a Cooper City, FL memory care community.
Bring Familiar Items
Memory-related symptoms are very common in seniors, especially if they have a memory-related disease. This can cause them to start to forget important things about their life, creating more confusion during the move to a memory care community.
To help your loved one feel more at ease during this transition, you should make sure they have familiar items that are meaningful to them. A great example of meaningful items that will help them to feel at home are photographs. It is also beneficial for them to have these familiar items since it can help spark old memories.
Packing familiar items also helps to make your loved ones' new space more welcoming and warm. You want them to be able to settle in and feel as though they are in their new home.
Pack All the Necessities
Aside from bringing familiar items for your loved one during this transition, you also need to make sure you are packing the necessities. When your loved one joins a memory care community in Cooper City, they will still need the basic necessities for everyday life. This includes things like:
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Day and night clothing
- Outdoor and indoor footwear
- Skincare items
- Hygienic necessities
- Electronic devices
These are just a few examples, and you should discuss these items ahead of time with the memory care team to better understand what is already provided for your loved one.
This is a good time to go through their possessions to make sure they have everything they need or if they need anything replaced. You want to make sure they feel comfortable and have plenty of options since they may not remember to ask you for certain items later on.
Schedule an Ideal Move-In Time
If you have been caring for your aging loved one, you most likely have a good idea of their day-to-day schedule. For seniors battling memory symptoms, they most likely have different times of the day when they feel better or worse. For example, they may feel more confused and tired in the morning but start to gain better mental clarity later on in the afternoon or vice versa.
You want to take into consideration what time of day is going to be ideal when you move your loved one into the memory care community. The community will often work with you to find the best time for everyone so that the transition goes as smoothly as possible.
It’s also a good idea to ask about what day will be ideal to make the move since some days will be busier than others. Ideally, you should choose a day where you have plenty of time to help your loved ones settle in before you have to leave.
Meet the Team Ahead of Time
Senior living in Cooper City provides an abundance of options for those who require memory care. If you have decided that your loved one needs to make this transition, there are several steps you should take beforehand. One of those steps includes meeting the team before the move to better understand how the community works.
You will want to meet the team yourself to get an idea of how welcoming everyone is and how your loved one will be taken care of. But it is also important that your loved one meets the team so that they can become familiar with the environment and those they will be surrounded by.
The memory care staff will play a crucial role in helping your loved one transition as well as improving their care in the future.
Let Them Know They’re Loved
The most essential part of transitioning your loved one to a memory care community in Cooper City is making sure they still know they are loved. This is a difficult transition, and they may feel as though they are being abandoned.
Provide open communication throughout the process, helping them understand that this is in their best interest. Communicating openly will help them understand your thought process and reassure them that you are still always available.
Moving Checklist
Transitioning your loved one to assisted living in Cooper City can feel like an overwhelming and emotional process. The good news is that with a few simple tips, this is much more manageable and won’t feel as stressful for you or your loved one.
Are you getting ready to move your loved one to a memory care community in Cooper City, FL? Check out The Complete Checklist for Moving to a Senior Living Community we provide at Arbor Terrace Cooper City to help you with this transition!
