Supporting a Senior Parent in Assisted Living From Afar

June 8, 2023 by ·
Assisted Living Spanish Fort AL

Assisted Living Spanish Fort AL

Living hundreds or even thousands of miles away from somebody you love can be extremely difficult when they’re struggling with a variety of things. When it’s your elderly mother or father and they are at assisted living, you know they should be in good hands. Of course, you want to make sure they’re in a quality facility.

A quality assisted living community is going to be wonderful for most aging men and women. That’s because there will be activities to participate in, quality entertainment, maybe a fitness center, a good dining option, and plenty of other things to keep them busy and engaged in life. Still, you want to support this aging parent but maybe you don’t know how. Perhaps the distance gets to be too much for you. Or maybe because of that distance, you don’t think you’re doing enough. 

Visit When You Can

That doesn’t mean you have to visit all the time, but when you have an opportunity, take it. It might be once a year or once every other year, but whatever it is, pop in for a visit. It doesn’t have to be for a birthday, anniversary, or holiday, but it could just be because you want to visit with them.

They will cherish those visits, those in person times when they get to see you, touch you, hug you, and feel connected to you in that most personal way.

Utilize Video Call Features

The staff at a quality assisted living community will be willing and able to help your loved one figure this out if they can’t do it on their own. In fact, the facility might have devices the senior residents can use to video chat with their adult children, grandchildren, friends, and others across the country or around the world.

Send Cards and Letters Often

In the age of emails and texting, cards and letters have tended to slip away from us. Yet, letters are far more personal, thoughtful, and received by the elderly generation differently than they might be for a teenager these days.

Get in the habit of writing letters more often. Send cards. Talk about your life. Ask questions of them. When they read these, they will feel more connected and more supported, believe it or not.

Ask and Listen

Sometimes, people just want to feel as though they still matter. Some seniors, even though assisted living is a wonderful place to be, might feel isolated and lonely, still. Sure, they could have dozens of friends in the facility, but if they don’t get to talk to or visit with family and other immediate loved ones that often, it can affect their emotional state of mind.

Ask what they need and truly listen to them. You may not be able to give them what they want, but just that act of listening can be more than enough.

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

Filed Under: Aging Parents and Assisted Living, Assisted Living, Assisted Living in Spanish Fort AL · 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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