The decision to move your senior parent into an assisted living community is never an easy decision to make. You want the best for your aging loved one, you want them to be safe, comfortable, and well taken care of, and you want them to live in a secure environment where they can continue to thrive.
Elderly parents can be notoriously resistant to
change, especially when it comes time to consider moving into a senior living
community. While any big life transition comes with a few bumps in the road,
there are ways you can support your parent and work with them to positively
address any care concerns. Here’s how.
Understand
that settling in requires patience
Your parent probably has a routine they’ve adhered to
for many years. We all have daily routines that give us a sense of structure,
and when our routines get disrupted it can be irritating. For example, if they
like to have dinner at 7pm but you learn that the dining hall serves dinner
earlier, speak with the staff and ask if they can accommodate your parent’s
preference. Many modern assisted living communities are very flexible and don’t
adhere to rigid schedules anymore, so they’ll be happy to accommodate your
loved one’s preferences.
Ask
open-ended questions instead of just complaining
Let’s say your parent has shared with you that they
don’t like some of the meals they’ve been served. Instead of complaining to the
staff, a more constructive approach is to ask some questions, including: Are
there any alternative meal options available? Can we please know what the
choices are?
Working together to find a solution is usually the
best way forward, and open-ended questions give both parties the chance to
explore the best choices for them.
Document all
issues
Keep a written log of any concerns or complaints your
loved one shares with you, and get as many details as possible. When you share
your concerns with the staff, using the written log will help you discern if
there are any patterns, for example if it’s a specific time of day, or if the
concerns are a once-off.
Give
immediate feedback
Some people don’t report an issue or a concern right
away because they don’t want to overreact, or they decide to wait and see if it
happens again, but we encourage you to report any issues or concerns immediately.
The assisted living community staff will appreciate knowing that their
residents feel comfortable enough to come to them with their concerns, and
they’ll do what they can to remedy the issues.
Get to know
all the staff
When your elderly parent moves into a senior living
community, take the time to introduce yourself to the administrators, the
nurses, the security guards, and everyone else your loved one will have contact
with on a regular basis. Building a network of community members is extremely important
and will help you know the right person to speak with if an issue arises.
Helping your senior loved one transition into an
assisted living community will undoubtedly come with some bumps in the road,
but more often than not you’ll find that the staff are happy and willing to
work with you to ensure your parent has everything they need and that all of
their concerns are addressed.
For more information, or if you have any questions,
please contact our team at UMC today. We look forward to
hearing from you.
Original content posted on https://umcommunities.org/blog/assisted-living-care-concerns/
No comments:
Post a Comment