Tips for Staying Safe with the Move to Assisted Living

March 30, 2015 by ·

Assisted Living in Satsuma AL

Regina was getting ready for her move into a new assisted living facility. She had to admit that in the beginning she Assisted Living in Satsuma ALwasn’t overly thrilled with the idea, but she was getting excited about a new living situation. Her current home had gotten stale and mundane and very lonely since her husband passed away three years earlier.

She had been going through a lot of items, moving stuff into boxes, planning on having family members and friends take some furniture and other items, and as the date approached it seemed that her home had become more like a maze than an actual house she had lived in for more than 20 years.

All of these boxes stacked throughout the hallway, in the kitchen, throughout the living room, and even in various bedrooms were posing a potential safety risk for her and she wasn’t aware of it.  Moving from a house or apartment situation into an assisted living community can be challenging for some. It’s important, though, to remain safe during this entire process.

Below are a few tips that can help seniors and any family members helping them with this move stay safe as they transition from their current living situation to an assisted living community.

1. Designate one room or a portion of the basement as a temporary storage area.

Avoid keeping boxes in the hallways, kitchen, living room, or anywhere the senior is still planning to walk through and use as a part of their daily living. Even though the boxes may be stacked neatly, it changes the layout of the house or apartment and that poses a tripping hazard.

2. Keep the senior from over-exerting himself or herself.

Regina understood her physical limitations, but she still tried to lift heavy objects from time to time. That’s because she felt as though time was running out and there wasn’t enough help on most days.  Hire professional movers if that’s necessary to ensure the senior doesn’t overdo things during this move.

3. Try to arrange several moving dates with the assisted living facility.

The room may become available on a specific date, but trying to move everything in at one time may be a challenge, especially for a senior who is dealing with certain physical limitations. It may be more practical for them to move in a few items at a time over a week or two. Make sure this is okay with the facility before making this plan.

4. Provide enough time for the senior to go through their furniture and other personal possessions.

If the seniors are trying to rush through the process, it can lead to exhaustion, slip and fall injuries, and other potential risks. Make sure they have plenty of time, either before they move into the assisted living facility or afterward to comfortably and casually go through everything they need to.

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

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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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