Transferring your elderly loved one to a senior living facility might be the most difficult decision you’ll have to make. Not knowing how your dear one will be looked after and the thought of you not being around when they miss you might break your heart. But sometimes, you’ve got to make some tough calls.
To rest assured that your loved one is in good hands, it would be best if you did your homework well and enrolled your loved one in a reputable facility where you can be sure that your dear one will be looked after as well as you, or even better!
But a reputable senior living facility doesn’t promise your loved one’s happiness. It’s absolutely normal for seniors to feel sad and depressed being away from home and family, which can affect their mental health and overall well-being.
This blog post highlights ways you can ensure that your loved one is happy living at a senior living facility.
1. Don’t Impose the Move on Them
You can’t expect someone to move to an entirely new place and be happy from the first day there. It’s just not possible. Imposing the move will only make them detest your decision. To ensure your loved one stays happy at a senior living facility, it’s critically important that you don’t impose anything on them. Take it easy and give them time to wrap their head around living in a senior living facility. They’ll be more open to adapting to a new place when they make the decision at their pace.
2. Make Their New Room Familiar
Another promising way to ensure your loved one stays happy at a senior living facility is by making their new room as familiar as possible. Decorate their room at the facility with their belongings like pictures or prized possessions that hold a special place in their hearts. These things will give them a sense of belonging, and they’ll be able to adjust to the place easily and happily.
3. Encourage Them to Make New Friends
Human beings are social animals, and having a social circle is integral to one’s happiness. If your loved one doesn’t make any new friends at the facility, they won’t feel happy. What you can do is encourage them to make friends. Every time you talk to them or visit them at the facility, ask them if they made new friends, just like you would ask a child who has just started to go to school.
4. Get Them Accessories to Pass Their Time
Most senior living facilities offer the senior residents plenty of entertainment options like board games and recreational events. However, it would be best if you didn’t solely rely on the facility. You can get your dear one some accessories that’ll help them pass their time and not get bored. It could be a set of cards, puzzles, board games, or their favorite magazines or books.
Staying happy is crucial to sound mental health, especially in the elderly living at senior living facilities. If you’re looking for a senior living facility that puts the mental health and happiness of its senior residents at the top of their priority list, you should visit Inspirit Senior Living and see what we’ve got to offer yourself!
