How to Support Seniors in Assisted Living Facilities

It’s easy to feel guilty when a loved one has moved into assisted living. But, the transition doesn’t mean that you stop loving them and supporting them.

You may even be able to support the senior better when they’re in assisted living, as you’ll have more energy and they’ll be getting the help they need. Assisted living facilities are also trained to provide support and services to make the senior’s life better.

In this post, we’ll show you ways to support a loved one while they’re in assisted living. Many of the principles apply to other environments as well, like nursing homes and memory care units.

Validate Their Experience

First, think about the process from their point of view.

Many seniors struggle with the initial transition to assisted living. That’s not surprising, as the move can feel like they’re giving up both familiarity and independence – and moving to an entirely different way of living.

It’s tempting to move straight to reassurance here and tell them that they’ll love their new home.

But, it’s also important to acknowledge the turmoil. Moving home is an upheaval at the best of times. Moving to a facility is an even more dramatic change and the emotions involved may reflect that.

Instead of focusing on how things will get better, you might look at the here and now instead. For example, you might acknowledge the difficulties and say that you’ll have your loved one’s back, no matter what. While the situation is challenging, you’ll get through it together, as a family.

Visit Regularly

Assisted living can seem isolating at first, especially if the senior has moved to a new neighborhood at the same time. Visiting them regularly can make a huge difference, brightening up their day, and helping them feel more connected.

If you don’t live locally, think about other ways to connect with the senior. Video calling is a common approach here and staff may even help to facilitate the calls. There are other options too, like writing letters or perhaps sending a monthly subscription box.

Encourage Them To Connect with the Community

Assisted living is a great place for social connection. Your family member is now living near many people their own age and there are often plenty of scheduled activities.

Still… it takes time to break into the community and feel comfortable. Some seniors may be resistant, especially if they’re still coming to terms with the transition.

You can help by gently encouraging them. Perhaps you could look at the different activities. See which ones your loved one might enjoy. Remind them that it takes time to build friendships and to feel at home. But, the more they start to connect now, the better they’ll feel in the long term. 

Help with Errands

Assisted living facilities provide assistance with many aspects of daily life. But, they don’t do everything. Some family members still end up providing a decent amount of support.

Running errands can be particularly helpful. Your loved one may find it difficult to visit local stores and pick up the things they want, especially if they no longer drive.

So, why not do some of the legwork for them? You might even be able to bring them along with you sometimes. 

Check In With Them

It’s also important to simply check how they’re doing and whether their needs are being met. Are there aspects of assisted living that simply aren’t working? Are they taking the right medications? Do they seem healthy? Are there any signs of a problem?

This is important, as needs can easily get missed.

Remember, assisted living staff are supporting a large number of residents, some of whom have complex needs. Some facilities are also understaffed, leading to high pressure and potential burnout for the staff members who are there.

So, take the time to check in. Your loved one will appreciate the attention anyway and you can help to make sure they’re safe and well cared for.

Bring Family or Pets

Instead of visiting on your own, why not bring along other family members or even pets? Just be sure to check with the facility about their rules on animals first.

Having multiple family members visit can help the senior feel more connected and loved. Remember younger family members too. You could even bring a board game to help everyone connect and have a good time.  

Make the Place Feel Like Home

An assisted living room will never look exactly like the senior’s previous home, but you can certainly make it look more homelike. This might include bringing framed photos, moving in some of their favorite furniture, or getting some nice blankets that they love.

Wisdom is important here, as the senior may not have much space and you don’t want to make everything cluttered. You’ll also need to check with facility staff to learn the specific rules about what you can and cannot bring. Still, there will always be some things you can bring to make the place feel nicer.

Help Them Stay Connected

Aside from visits, what are some other ways the senior can stay connected? Video calling is a common approach and there are even straightforward video calling devices designed for seniors.

You could also play around with shared messaging apps, photos sharing, or other collaborative tools. Or, what about getting the senior onto Facebook? These approaches all help the senior learn what’s going on with other family members and engage with them.

For example, my family has a shared chat group where each of us periodically shares photos, news, and conversations. It’s a fantastic way to stay involved in each other’s life, even when we’re all busy and aren’t living near each other.

Ideally, the senior should be able to initiate connection, like by calling other people or sending emails. This way they aren’t simply waiting for others to call them.

Send Letters or Gifts

Who doesn’t enjoy receiving letters or gifts? Both are a lovely indication that someone is thinking of you and cares.

There are plenty of great gifts for seniors in assisted living, including some that are comforting and others that help to engage the senior instead.

Of course, you don’t want to send gifts too often, so why not try letter writing instead? Handwritten letters are ideal, as these can be kept and savored. Plus, the whole family can get involved. You might even get the kids and grandkids to send letters every month or two.

Letters have the added benefit of keeping the senior updated with everyone else. This can make them much more included. They might even show off the letters to new friends in the facility.

Final Thoughts

Moving to assisted living is a big transition, one that can stir up many emotions for seniors. Taking the time to connect with them, to listen, and to visit can make a huge difference to their experience. You may even be able to help them make friends in their new environment.