Ways Seniors Can Truly Be Happy at Assisted Living

August 13, 2019 by ·

Being happy is a choice. That doesn’t mean circumstances make it easy to be upbeat, positive, and happy, and for some seniors the idea of assisted living can feel like the end of their life. It doesn’t have to be that way. There are plenty of options available at a quality assisted living facility and when family and friends support them in this move, amazing things can and often do happen.

Below are several ways that seniors can potentially be happy at assisted living, provided they remain open-minded to at least some degree.

First, they can get out and meet others.

Assisted Living Chickasaw, AL: Ways Seniors Can Truly Be Happy at Assisted Living

There are going to be numerous seniors their own age who share common interests when they choose a quality assisted living facility. If they stay in their room and avoid contact, how are they going to meet them?

By getting out and investing in this new community, whether that includes heading to the dining facility, entertainment room, or some other place around the grounds, they will begin meeting others and likely discover they aren’t alone in this transition.

Second, it’s important they stay open to the idea.
As we mentioned, being open-minded about assisted living is incredibly important at making this transition positive. Even if this aging senior is not completely keen on the idea, if they’re looking at this transition in their life with some hope, that can have a tremendous impact on how they view things once they move in.

Third, they need to seek out activities that are of interest to them.
There are going to be plenty of activities at a quality assisted living community. They may take place daily, every other day, or a couple of times a week. They could vary from music related activities to artistic endeavors, trips to various art galleries or museums, to the shopping malls, playing games like chess, movie night, and so on. There may even be an exercise facility on the grounds that could be of interest to certain aging seniors.

Sometimes, they need to be active in pursuing these activities. Most staff members are going to be responsive and helpful in finding those activities that will matter most to a resident.

Lastly, they need to be supported by family and friends.
If, once the senior moves in, most of the phone calls and visits come to a halt, that can feel disconcerting. When their loved ones continue to keep in touch, that can provide a significant emotional boost to an aging senior who may have felt as though all the best of their years are well behind them.

It cannot be understated just how important it is to find the right balance between calling and visiting too much and not calling or visiting at all.

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

Filed Under: Assisted Living Chickasaw AL, Ways Seniors Can Truly Be Happy 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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