Assisted Living Offers Wonderful Support for Seniors, but Family and Friends Are Still Important

September 29, 2020 by ·

Just because somebody chooses assisted living for their future doesn’t mean they don’t want or need the direct support of family and friends. It’s easy to grow comfortable with an aging parent now at a quality assisted living facility to the point where phone calls and in person visits have a tendency to tail off. 

When they are at a quality assisted living community, it’s easy to breathe a sigh of relief, let go, and return to the activities and things that are still important to you (many of which you may have given up looking after this aging person yourself). 

Yet, the value of personal visits and regular phone calls can be tremendous for aging adults. 

 

Family is still vital.

Assisted Living Spanish Fort, AL: Assisted Living Support

Just because this elderly person may be making new friends, discovering activities they enjoy, and are relaxing with some great entertainment doesn’t mean family isn’t important to him or her anymore. 

In fact, family and friends are still vital. These seniors still wish to maintain good communication and visit with their loved ones as often as they can. 

A person who was once visited by their adult child who lived in town a couple of times a week (mostly as a ‘check in’ to make sure she was safe) may look forward to those visits that have now trickled away. 

What could this do to their emotional and mental outlook? They could get this idea that now they’ve been abandoned to some degree. That doesn’t mean it’s the case, but a perception for an aging person dealing with health issues, diminishing strength, and other ailments can feel more real than everyday life. 

 

Scheduled time. 

If you don’t live close to this senior who is now at a quality assisted living facility, you can still call. They may even have technology to have a video teleconference call with the resident. 

Schedule time to communicate with this person. Let him or her know they’re still a valuable part of your life. 

It doesn’t matter whether this senior moved into an assisted living community recently or has been there for several months or even a couple of years; that familial contact is extremely important at maintaining a positive outlook in life. 

Assisted living is one of the best options that can support aging men and women during their advancing years, but it’s no substitute for the emotional connection that family and close friends still offer and can provide. 

 

If you or an aging loved one are considering Assisted Living near Spanish Fort, AL, contact Ashbury Manor Specialty Care and Assisted Living at 251-317-3017. 

Filed Under: Assisted Living in Spanish Fort AL, Wonderful Support for Seniors · Tagged: ,
About Cindy Johnson

Ashbury Manor’s Administrator since 2008, Cindy Johnson is a long-time expert in the assisted living field. Prior to her arrival at Ashbury Manor, Cindy managed acquisitions and crisis management for existing and new larger senior care project developments for eleven years. As regional manager for an Oregon-based assisted living management company, Cindy was directly responsible for operations for five 50-65 bed assisted living facilities. As manager during the transition to new ownership, Cindy reorganized internal operations and conducted leadership training for Executive Directors. As a result of her management and expertise, one of the company’s facilities (in Ocala, Florida) received a deficiency-free survey, resulting in the lifting of a moratorium on operation.

A nurse for 36 years, senior care has always been Cindy’s passion. Desiring to work more closely with residents, Cindy became a Category II Administrator in 2005. As Ashbury Manor’s Administrator, Cindy understands the complexities associated with dementia and cognitive impairment and she has fallen in love with seniors with dementia or cognitive impairment and their families.

Cindy is Treasurer of the local “Senior Coalition” chapter. She enjoys mentoring new candidates who want to become administrators.

As a 16-bed facility, with Cindy's training and experience, our residents and their families can be sure Ashbury Manor’s carefully selected staff provides the expertise of a larger facility while maintaining the individualized personal care of a small special needs home.
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