Moving into a new environment can feel like a stressful and anxious time in your life. Moving from your current living situation into an assisted living community can feel like an even bigger and more overwhelming step. However, it doesn’t have to be. There are several ways in which moving to an assisted living community can be quite pleasant and enjoyable. In this post, we’ll lay out several tips on how to adapt to life in a Knoxville, TN assisted living community effortlessly.
Speak Up About What Matters to You
The first step to feeling comfortable in your new Knoxville assisted living community, is to talk about what matters most to you. Sit down with your family members, as well as with the community’s directors. Openly express the kind of things that would help you feel most comfortable. Maybe you’d like your bed pointed in a specific direction. Or maybe you want to make sure you’ll have a cup of fresh water on your nightstand. Or perhaps, you expect needing to use the bathroom frequently at night and you want to make sure the community’s care team is there to help you find your way. Or perhaps, you have certain food likes or dislikes that you’d like to make the dining director aware of.
By speaking up, you ensure that what matters most to you is being heard by the right people. This is a great start to ensure your comfort is made a priority in your new community.
Get To Know Your New Community
Firstly, you can be assured that your new assisted living community’s main concern is your well-being. You will feel safe knowing that care staff is always there to help and support you with whatever you need. They can help you with medication management, schedule wellness classes or checkups for you, and even arrange easy transportation for you to any offsite doctor’s visits.
On top of that, in the most upscale communities, there are often wonderful luxuries for residents to take advantage of on campus. Many communities have heated pools, on-site libraries, beauty salons, and resort-style living rooms to mingle in and live it up with your new friends. There are also spacious courtyards to stroll through and lush gardens and nature walkways nearby to frequent with loved ones.
Get To Know Other Residents
One of the best things about moving into a senior living community in the Knoxville area are all the new friends you’ll make. Surrounded by friendly neighbors and peers, you will never be lonely or bored. There’s always a friendly face available to have a coffee or tea with, catch up with about your day, or enjoy your meal with.
We recommend that even before you move into your chosen assisted living community, you try to get to know your new neighbors. On your guided tour, ask community staff if you and your family can chat with some of the residents there. You can ask them about their days, how they like their apartments, or what activities they enjoy the most in the community. Getting to know your peers is one of the best ways you can make the move to your new community as enjoyable as possible. They will look forward to embracing you as their new neighbor soon too!
Sign Up for Campus Activities
The most praised senior living communities offer a host of fun and attractive activities to their residents. There are wellness classes, seasonal celebrations, special dining and social events, game nights, day trips, and so much more. Ask the community’s engagement directors to see a schedule of upcoming events and sign up for your favorites. This is a fantastic way to get involved and adjusted in your new community from the get-go.
Make Moving Day Go as Smoothly as Possible
For your actual moving day, have your family help you plan ahead to make sure your move will go as smoothly as possible. Read up on or have your family familiarize themselves with best practices and tips for moving to a senior living community. As you’re getting ready, pack what you need, downsize the rest, and have family members help you take your most prized and precious belongings into your new apartment.
Personalize Your New Space
After you’ve arrived in your new community, it’s time to make your apartment look and feel like yours. This is when you and your family members can really embrace your style and spread around you all that you love and what brings you joy in your new apartment. Bring along pictures, photos, and beloved keepsakes that you hold close to your heart. Hang pictures on the walls from special memories with loved ones or perhaps cherished artwork from your grandkids. Have items and colors surround you that spark joy and familiarity for you. You can also ask family members or your new care team to help you arrange things in ways that make you feel cozy and safe. Having your surroundings be as pleasant and convenient as you like them is an excellent way to make you feel comfortable and cheerful in your new apartment quickly.
Stay in Touch With Loved Ones
Now that you’ve moved into your new apartment and have all these new friends and neighbors to hang out with, don’t be a stranger to family members living farther away. Being able to connect and exchange news about your life with your loved ones is important. That’s why you’ll love discovering your new community’s senior cyber center. You can ask staff to show you the ropes around checking your emails or having a video chat with a loved one. Or you can sit down to write a letter. Maybe you can even have care staff snap a few pictures for you to add. That way, you can be sure to stay in touch with loved ones far and near and keep each other posted on your daily lives. Your new community will also welcome you to invite any loved ones to come visit in person. Maybe they’ll even want to participate in some fun celebrations on campus.
Do you or your family have more questions about the process of moving to an assisted living community in the Knoxville, TN area? Maybe you’d like to learn more about everything that awaits you or a loved one in assisted living? We have the perfect guide for you, The Complete Guide to Assisted Living. It’s a comprehensive resource to help you and your family learn all about what assisted living is (and what it isn’t), and how to best prepare for making such a move. Download your free guide here!
