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How to Help Your Loved One Adjust To Residential Care
10 Best Ways!
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When you’re dealing with an illness which is with you for life, it can be hard to adjust.
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However, usually with time, it all starts to get easier. You sit back and find time to reflect. And you realise that ageing forces you to start taking steps backwards.
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If you have an elderly loved one who suffers from an health issue, you will find that it’s increasingly harder for them to care of themselves.
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If it’s not possible for you to take over their care full-time, you could find a residential solution that can take on that care.
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Regardless of the illness your elderly loved one is suffering from, long term care can be a way for them to keep a large part of their independence but still receive the vital care they need on a daily basis. However, this decision isn’t always popular with loved ones.
If you and your elderly family member are considering residential care, there are a number of ways that you can ensure the adjust to their new lifestyle with ease.
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Help Your Loved One Adjust To Residential Care: Tip #1
Let It Be Their Decision
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As you start to consider your options for residential care, you need to make sure that the senior in question is very much involved with the decision.
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If your loved one feels like he’s being forced or placed in residential care against his will, it will be a tough process for everyone involved.
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However, if he is participating in the decision-making process, and he’s on board with the idea of accepting long-term care, you’ll all start the journey on the right footing.
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Help Your Loved One Adjust To Residential Care: Tip #2
Help Them To Understand
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The start of the residential care process can be the toughest of all. If the senior in your life is fiercely independent, you might find that they struggle to understand the need for the long-term care option.
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However, if you make sure that they understand the decision is the best one for their health, it will help all of you to adjust a lot quicker.
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Help Your Loved One Adjust To Residential Care: Tip #3
Set A Moving Schedule
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Once the decision has been made and you’re all on board with your elderly loved one choosing long-term residential care (including them making the decision together), you’re going to want to work on a moving schedule.
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It’s likely that the company or care facility that you choose will guide you here and help you to set realistic dates for moving. You can also aid in the process by mapping out when you’ll all pack together and do things like shopping for items to take along.
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Help Your Loved One Adjust To Residential Care: Tip #4
Be Actively Involved
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At this point, you need to make sure that you’re not only actively involved in the moving and care processes, but that your loved one specifically knows that you are.
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You don’t want them to feel lost or abandoned at any point during their long-term care plan. It will be worse for them to feel that way before anything has begun.
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When you’re working on caring for your elderly parents, even if it’s not overly hands on, you need to demonstrate that they’re not alone.
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Help Your Loved One Adjust To Residential Care: Tip #5
Visit First
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Deciding on a residential care facility can be difficult. However, once the senior in question has done so, you’re going to want to assure them that they’ve made the right choice.
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Before the designated moving date, if the care facility that you’ve chosen allows it, you might want to plan a visit or two. That way, your elderly loved one can adjust to the place and meet people who also live there before they arrive.
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Help Your Loved One Adjust To Residential Care: Tip #6
Have Their Needs Covered
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Either before the big move or during the early days, ensure that your loved one’s needs are taken care of.
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It’s so important that seniors remain active, both with physical exercise and their minds. So, make sure that their long-term care facility can cater to their needs. It that’s not possible, arrange an alternative facility.
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If they have a loved hobby, make sure they can continue with it within their new surroundings.
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Help Your Loved One Adjust To Residential Care: Tip #7
Involve The Whole Family
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During the move or before it happens, make sure that everybody is as involved as they can be.
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You might be leading the care process, but make sure that your siblings and other family members are pitching in too.
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Not only will this lessen the stress and pressure, but it will also show support for your elderly loved one.
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It should be a group visit to help them settle in, so make sure everyone can visit.
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Help Your Loved One Adjust To Residential Care: Tip #8
Make A Plan
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Once your loved one has moved into their residential care facility and their health needs are covered of, design a schedule for them to stick too.
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It’s likely that the company they’re involved with will have some planned activities. You might need to encourage them to attend meetings with other people, join in with groups or even create something of their own.
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And, if there aren’t activities which suit your loved one, help them plan a set weekly routine. This is ensure that they’re able to go out and about to enjoy their independence.
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Help Your Loved One Adjust To Residential Care: Tip #9
Assure Them Nothing Will Change
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As they’re settling in, continue to assure your elderly loved one that nothing will change. Encourage them to see the situation as moving house, and that is all.
Most of the time, they will still have a lot of independence. They can still do all of the things they love, including visiting you and other family members. Promise to still visit them as much as you ever have.
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Help Your Loved One Adjust To Residential Care: Tip #10
Minimise Their Stress
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Stress is a top issue in any major move or life transition. Whether it’s the residential care situation which causes them stress, or it’s something which they’ve always suffered from, work on stress management with your elderly loved one.
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Stress is just as bad for seniors as it is everyone else, if not worse. So, you’re going to want to ensure that they are as emotionally settled into their new surroundings as they are physically. That way, they’ll remain stress-free and even enjoy their new living and care situation.
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