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How To Move A Parent With Dementia To Assisted Living

Applying For An Assisted Living Home

How to Handle Mom with Dementia Who Wants To Leave Assisted Living

Countless people rely on senior living facilities and nursing homes to keep themselves healthy. This can make it difficult to get your loved one into the place you feel is best for them, and you may need to apply for one a few months in advance.;

Luckily, care center staff like the team at Catholic Care Center can help you through the application process and financial planning stages. If the move needs to happen sooner rather than later, we will do everything we can to help move the process along.;

Personalize Your Parents Living Space

The memory care community you choose will become your family members new home. Noack encourages caregivers to;create a homey feeling from the start by incorporating a seniors decorations and personal items into the space before the move if possible.

When the resident walks in and they see their belongings, that eases their anxiety, Noack says.

Dementia educator Teepa Snow reaffirms this advice, but recommends that family members prioritize meaningful objects when considering what to bring to a memory care facility. Instead of moving all your parents belongings at once, start with a few to encourage comfort rather than clutter. It also provides an opportunity for caregivers to engage in redirection and practice asking questions, some of Snows main dementia communication tips.

Snow gives examples. Say, Would you like this pillow? Would you like this one picture? This tactic allows your mom or dad to make their voice heard and to play an active role in their transition to memory care.

Additional Dementia Care Options

Sometimes, depending on the severity of a persons dementia, assisted living is not always the best route to take when providing the care that they need. Assisted living is for patients who have difficulty functioning or struggle to perform simple daily tasks.

Catholic Care Center offers what are called Memory Cafes, which is a free service that is available for a few hours a few times a week. At these Memory Cafes, people with dementia get the chance to socialize over a nice meal and it allows their caregivers to get a nice break from the constant care that is required.

Catholic Care Center is a non-profit organization composed of a team of driven, compassionate, hardworking individuals who are committed to providing the care and assistance that your loved one requires.

If you live in Wichita, KS and are looking for an assisted living community or other dementia care services for your parent, contact Catholic Care Center. For more information on moving call 771-6550 to schedule a virtual tour today!

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How To Find The Right Care Option

If it’s obvious that it’s time for your loved one to have more care than you can provide, first you will need to choose the care option that is the best fit. In order to do this, you will need to determine the level of support that your loved one needs, and choose the care option that best fits. Once you have done this, you need to determine which actual facility is right for your loved one. Here are some interview questions you can ask that will help you make the right determination.

After narrowing down your options through this interview process, schedule some tours. Here are some things to observe during your tour.

For more advice on finding a facility, visit:

Bring A Simple Collection Of Favorite Things

How to Move a Parent with Dementia to Assisted Living ...

Odds are their new room is smaller than their current home, and clutter is a recipe for confusion and trip hazards.

If you havent received information from the assisted living community director or staff about what to bring from home, give them a call to find out how much is just enough to bring.

In some communities, rooms come furnished, but you should still be able to bring touches from home such as a favorite chair, wall art, personalized bedding, a CD player or iPod/docking station to play his/her favorite music.

At The Memory Center, our rooms are unfurnished to allow residents and their families to more closely recreate a space that looks and feels like home.

Having familiar pieces from home helps new residents settle in more quickly. And again, be careful about asking your parent which item do you want to take with you, as these types of decisions can be agitating in later stages of the disease.

We recommend reading Making A New Space In Assisted Living Or Memory Care Feel Like Home for more information on this important topic.

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Q: What Can You Do If Your Parent Is Resistant Or Completely Opposed To An Assisted Living Facility

Ms. Drelich: Most older people are not jumping for joy to move into assisted living. The need for it is generally a result of a loss, such as the loss of a spouse, financial or physical difficulty in maintaining the home, etc.

Therefore, one has to be sensitive to their resistance, and rather than fighting it by saying you have to do this, take the time to hear what they are saying. You may have to back off for a short while, and then gently bring it up again at another time. A trusted physician or clergy member may also be helpful in joining in the conversation about their changing needs and the benefits of relocating.

I remember one daughter who had gotten into the routine of flying down to her mother in Florida at least once a month. When the mother wound up in the ER, she finally told her mother that she was terribly worried and wanted to be able to respond quickly to these emergencies, but she shared that the frequency of these trips were affecting her work and her marriage.

Hearing this, her mother finally agreed to move back to New York into an assisted living facility, which was a short drive away from her daughters home. The positives of this became that it would be less stressful for her daughter and she would be able to see her daughter and family more often.

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How To Talk To Your Parent About Moving To Memory Care

Memory care offers social opportunities, cognitive engagement, and an enhanced quality of life for seniors with memory loss. People with dementia receiving care from highly trained staff members report fewer symptoms and medical visits than those not receiving such care, according to a 2019 study in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. In addition, reliable care lowers stress and burnout for family members, the researchers note.

However, to benefit from;memory care, seniors and family members must have a conversation about making the transition.;Years ago, families would have a heavy-handed approach, but its different now that weve learned more about the experience of people living with memory loss, says;David Troxel, former president and CEO of the California Central Coast Alzheimers Association.;I encourage adult children to form a partnership with their parent. Be authentic and genuinely express your concerns.

Follow these steps to improve your chances for a good conversation.;

Also Check: How To Calm Down A Dementia Person

What Can You Do If Your Loved One Is Resistant To Move

Residents who live in memory care can live a fuller life when assisted with personal tasks. Your loved one will benefit from a better diet, reduced stress, social interaction, better sleep, and exercise. Point out that moving into a memory care community can help them better adapt to the changes in their mental health.

Keep in mind that there may be a variety of reasons that they resist, like they dont want to feel like a burden or hassle with moving or selling their home. You may need to slowly ease them into the idea of moving. Suggest that they go on a no-strings-attached tour of a memory care community. Make sure to point out the positive aspects on the tourgreat amenities, fun activities, meeting new people, or being the center of attention.

One other idea to keep in your back pocket is a respite stay. Your parent can stay at a memory care community for a short-term visit. They may like it so much that they do not want to leave.

Its normal to resist change, so ask for assistance from their new memory care community. Engage with the care staff as you prepare for this transition. They are familiar with the challenges of a new resident, and their experience can be key in helping make a smooth transition.

Visiting Before the Move

Packing for Your Loved One

Schedule the Move-In for Their Ideal Time of Day

Meeting Caregivers & Staff

Sharing Your Loved Ones Story

Trusting Theyll Be Safe & Happy

When Your Parent Moves In With You

Moving Your Parent’s Into Assisted Living or a Nursing Home? Here Is What To Do

Change of Family Roles. If you and your parent decide the best place for your parent is in your home, understand that living with a parent most likely will lead to a shift in family roles. A once-authoritative parent may become more dependentâyou may become the guardian who gives direction and controls many aspects of your parentâs life, while trying to preserve as much autonomy as possible for your parent. You may have less time for your spouse and for yourself. You may need your children to help with more household responsibilities including care of their grandparent. These role changes can be hard adjustments for everyone.

Lifestyle Changes. You and your parent probably have very different lifestyles. Sleeping cycles, eating patterns and preferences, social calendars, interests, and daily activities may need adjustments in order to guarantee a smooth transition.

The Loss of Your Time. Caregiving requires a significant amount of time and is very likely to impact your work, family time, personal time and sleep.

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Search For The Perfect Dementia Care Facility

Once aging parents agree to try assisted living, do not disappoint them by showing them an unsuitable environment they will hate from the very first second. Take time to find out all available options and select the very best choice you feel will make your dementia-afflicted parent happy. Remind them that assisted living facilities are nothing like nursing facilities near you they offer many recreational, social and dining opportunities and are more like retirement communities than your typical old-age homes.

Do not just trust the residences advertising. It is essential to schedule tours to multiple assisted living facilities and visit them before the aging individuals will settle in to see first-hand if they are the best choice. Interact with directors, staff, and residents as well to get an accurate picture of what goes on daily. Visit several times before deciding the memory care community where that will provide the best dementia care for your parent.

After confirming that the community will be a great fit, let the senior also visit so that he or she can see the environment where they will be spending a considerable amount of their golden years. Knowing that they are part of the decision-making process helps retirees to be confident with leaving their previous lives behind and starting a new one in their new assisted living homes.

Moving Elderly Parents To Assisted Living

This entire process can be very difficult for some older adults. Leaving a home full of memories is an emotional decisioneven for seniors who are looking forward to assisted livingand downsizing when you have accumulated a lifetime of possessions is a lot to ask of someone. Be kind, be sensitive and try to make it be about your parent and not about you. It will take some time for Mom and/or Dad to settle in to their new home, but they will probably enjoy the change once this transition period has passed

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Start A Conversation Early

If possible, begin making the long-term care plan as early as possible after the dementia diagnosis.

If your parent or loved one is in the beginning stages of Alzheimers or dementia, looking ahead to find the right community allows them to be a part of the process, which can make for a smoother transition when moving day arrives.

Ideally, the time to move to a community is when s/he is no longer able to live safely and independently at home or when the level of care required becomes more than what you and/or other caregivers are able to provide from a time and safety perspective.

On the flip side, if your loved one is in mid-to later-stages of the disease, it can be upsetting to engage him/her in selecting a community and planning moving day. ;In some cases, it is better to wait until the change is eminent to announce the move, and enlist the help of family and friends for decision-making, sorting, and packing.

Visit ourGuide for Talking to a Loved One About Memory Care for more insight into this topic.

Yes Dementia Patients Can Live In Assisted Living

Compassionate Considerations for How to Move a Parent with ...

Can dementia patients live in assisted living? Absolutely! In fact, its one of our top 5 care options for people with Alzheimers and dementia. Assisted living is a great option for someone with dementia who requires specialized care and support. They will also have a community around them to help them enjoy their day-to-day life even through the challenges of dementia.

If you find yourself looking for assisted living facilities with dementia care in southeast Michigan, look no further than Sandyside Senior Living located in White Lake, this 20 bed facility specializes in memory-related illnesses and offers 24/7 care for your loved ones.

Sandyside Senior Living offers the highest quality of life with fresh cooked meals, fun events, and comfortable living accommodations. They offer all-inclusive services and pricing to help you feel confident in the care and comfort that your family member is getting at all times.

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Tips On Transitioning A Loved One To Memory Dementia Or Alzheimer’s Care

As your loved ones memory declines, or as the effects of dementia or Alzheimers disease become too much for the family or caregivers to handle, you will have to make the decision to place her in memory, dementia, or Alzheimers care. After you have consulted your family and her healthcare professionals, made financial arrangements, and chosen your loved ones new home, you have to prepare for transitioning her to a new level of care. You understand the need for the move, but it still is difficult for you to accept the decision, and your;emotions run even higher when you think about telling your loved one and anticipate moving day.

To help ease the transition for your loved one , we have rounded up 50 tips from caregivers, memory care facility administrators, dementia and Alzheimers experts, and others who have experience in working with seniors who require special care. Keep in mind that everyone handles the transition differently, and you will need to use the tips that best fit your loved ones personality and needs and your situation. Please note, our 50 tips for easing the transition to memory, dementia, or Alzheimers care are not listed in order of importance or value in any way; rather, we have categorized them to help you find the tips that will be most useful to you.

Why Do Our Loved Ones With Dementia Require Extra Help When Moving To Assisted Living

In the latter stages of our human lives, we may experience a condition characterized by the following symptoms: challenges with communicating and utilizing proper language, poor judgement and decision-making skills, difficulty performing normal daily routines, poor memory, etc.

It is our responsibility as our parents caregivers to observe and watch out for the signs and symptoms of Alzheimers disease or any other form of dementia. As challenging as it may be, it is our responsibility to understand and care for our elderly adults in a capacity that is caring, but not demeaning and undermining.

Dementia is a condition that affects a senior’s mental capabilities, thus affecting their ability to carry out normal daily tasks, such as activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living. The normal tasks that are commonly affected may be due to decreased judgment, eloquence, memory, and orientation. An elderly with dementia tends to forget short-term things, may think irrationally, and even have difficulty learning new things as well as re-learning the old ones. It’s worth noting that dementia is not a disease, but more so a cognitive change. As such, someone with dementia will have an extremely hard time moving from their familiar home where theyve lived for many years, into a new assisted living home that is completely unfamiliar to them.

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Advice For Family Members

  • Be prepared to take some time off. If you work, consider talking with your employer about the possibility that you may need some time off with very little notice. Try to save a few vacation days in case the move comes up suddenly. Remember to have money saved to pay for the homes first month rent and any other services that the person with dementia may need . Also, pre-arrange for a family member or friend to be available on standby to care for children or give a hand, if necessary. Long-Term Care: Preparing for a Move, Alzheimer Society of Canada; Twitter:
  • Remember it will get easier. As hard as this seems right now, its important to know that this will not always be so hard. Your parent will get used to their new memory care community and may come to love being there, thanks to the engaging programming, other residents, and personalized care. Just remember that you made the right choice for your particular situation and are helping to give your parent the care and lifestyle they deserve. Helping Parents Transition to Memory Care, Travanse Living; Twitter:
  • Be prepared to hear complaints. Be prepared for complaining, no matter what. Try to be patient and point out the advantages of the nursing home, even if a room must be shared. Note the increased medical care, the added attention of CNAs and the immediate attention if someone falls. Carol Bradley Bursack, Making the Transition from Assisted Living to a Nursing Home, HealthCentral; Twitter:
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