Of Pennsylvania's 13 million population, there are around 2.5 million who are over the age of 65, according to the 2020 Census.
As one of the top states to retire in the country, Pennsylvania is home to countless assisted living communities. This type of senior living is there to help those dealing with age-related health issues, such as mobility problems, heart disease, and diabetes.
Unlike retirement and independent living homes, assisted living provides residents with 24/7 staff to help them with whatever they need to thrive in old age. That said, senior transitions like these can be difficult, even if it's the best thing for them.
A lot of seniors are hesitant to move into an assisted living community because they think the transition is going to be too difficult. In today's post, we'll give you some assisted living transition tips to make it easier. Keep reading and you'll have the tools to ease your loved one into the senior care they need.
One way to ease the transition is to make sure you're getting your loved one the right type of care. There are a lot of different senior living options out there, each one providing something different to residents.
It's important to understand exactly what type of care your loved one needs, and then match that with one of the three main types of care. For example, if your loved one is just looking to downsize and enjoy a life of leisure, you'd pick a retirement home.
If they're dealing with health issues, as mentioned, you'll pick an assisted living community. Those dealing with Alzheimer's and dementia will need memory care, which is offered through some (but not all) assisted living communities. Memory care provides qualified staff to help residents deal with their unique and challenging symptoms.
Whether you're helping your loved one pay for their assisted living or not, you'll need to budget for their care. If you're not careful about the financial side of this move, the transition can be much more stressful than it needs to be.
Always get quotes from different communities and figure out what to prioritize in a community.
Part of the shock of the transition to elder care is the significant amount of downsizing that must take place. In one of these communities, your loved one will be living in a relatively small apartment. They won't necessarily have room for all of their belongings, especially if they've been living in a single-family home.
Instead of tackling the move all at once, downsize gradually. Over a few months, start getting rid of certain items they don't need and putting the rest into storage. Save only the most important keepsakes and functional items for the actual move.
Doing it gradually will give your loved one a chance to get used to the downsize. When it comes time to make the move, not only will it be physically easier, but they'll also have less of a shock.
Location is one of the most important aspects of moving to senior living. If your loved one is particularly nervous about making this move, having loved ones close by is going to be essential.
There are going to be a lot of options when you start looking for the right community. Choosing one that's easily accessible for friends and family will make it easier for them to visit. The more visitors they have, especially in the first few weeks and months, the easier it'll be to have a smooth senior living transition.
Another crucial thing to do before selecting a community is to look at ratings and reviews. Nothing will simplify the transition into senior care more than finding a highly-rated community among residents and their loved ones.
Use reviews to identify any red flags about a community before you take a tour. These include issues with the relations between staff and residents or the upkeep of the community.
Narrow your search to a few of the most reputable communities in the right area. From there, you can schedule tours and see the communities for yourself with your loved one.
Touring assisted living communities alone can help the transition. It gives your loved one a chance to get a sense of the community they'll be moving into before they do it.
You should be as thorough as possible during a tour, but pay special attention to the following:
Make sure to inspect the rooms as closely as possible. Good communities will have multiple floor plans for new residents to choose from. This is going to become their home, so feeling comfortable is a great way to make the transition simpler.
The community's amenities are often a make-or-break aspect of a community. If your loved one has specific interests, such as exercising or watching movies, look for amenities that match them. When a senior is excited about the community's amenities, the transition is that much easier.
Social isolation and anxiety often prevent seniors from enjoying the transition into senior care. The activity programming the community has in place will be crucial for establishing relationships early on.
Look at the daily activity calendar to ensure the community values this aspect of community living. The activities themselves should be group-oriented and place importance on physical, cognitive, and mental health.
Unless your loved one plans on cooking in their accommodation, they'll want to sample the in-house dining menu. Seniors need to eat a balanced diet full of nutrients and vitamins to avoid health issues.
A good in-house restaurant can make eating healthy simple. Eating well will help with the transition, but it'll also maintain their health in the long run.
The older our loved ones get, the more settled they become. When it comes to senior transitions, this can create problems.
Following these assisted living transition tips will make adjusting to assisted living much simpler. When you're moving them into a fantastic community, like Barnes Place Personal Care, you won't have to worry about the hardships of transitioning into senior care. Contact us today to book your assisted living tour at our community in Latrobe, PA.