Those First Days at Assisted Living Could Be Challenging, So Avoid Giving in Right Away

April 30, 2019 by ·

Encouraging your elderly mother or father or somebody else you love to move into assisted living may have taken an act of courage. This is especially true if they are resistant or simply afraid of making this type of life change, especially at this point in their life.

During those first days when this senior moves into assisted living for the first time, there will likely be a great deal of fear, trepidation, and anxiety. There may be a number of phone calls to you begging you to take them home, get them out of there, or expressing their fear and so forth.

There are many mistakes family members and friends make when aging loved ones first move into assisted living or a new environment. One of the key mistakes is they either stop by and visit almost every day, call frequently throughout the day to check on them, or worse, take them right back out.

Forget the monetary penalties for a moment.

Assisted Living Satsuma, AL: First Days at Assisted Living

Assisted Living Satsuma, AL: First Days at Assisted Living

Even if you decided to take this aging parent or other individual out within a few days of moving into assisted living and you weren’t concerned about the cost (losing the security deposit or other money already paid), would that be really doing them the best thing?
Would you actually be doing them a favor or a disservice? Think back to a time when you when away from home for the first time. Maybe it was for summer camp or even college.

Did you have a homesick feeling? You probably wanted to return home to where you were comfortable, safe, and secure. How long did that last? Probably a couple days, right? Maybe if you went to college on the other side of the country or even in a different nation you felt that feeling for several weeks or even a couple months, but what happened, ultimately?
You probably grew accustomed to the changes. Likely, you would have even grown to enjoy this new life.

That’s what can happen with assisted living.

Seniors often find themselves experiencing more quality living at one of these facilities. Sometimes, though, it takes a while for people to grow accustomed to these changes. Some seniors may hold up in their rooms waiting for those visits every day, the calls throughout the day, and don’t really get an opportunity to get out and explore.

Instead, stay strong during those first days. Offer encouragement and certainly call and check on them but minimize it to one or two times a day so they have plenty of opportunity to explore. You will both likely be pleasantly surprised at the end results.

 

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

Filed Under: Assisted Living in Satsuma AL, First Days at Assisted Living · 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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