• Moving To Assisted Living

    Posted on February 26, 2014

    As you go through the house you are leaving, here are some tips to help your senior loved one pack, sort and and get rid of things. The first thing to keep in mind is to start with rooms or areas that aren’t used as much, or that don’t contain many meaningful items. This could be storage areas, the basement, laundry room, spare room, etc. These are rooms with things in them that have less sentimental attachment, so it can be a less stressful place to begin your packing and sorting. Next you should decide where your things are going to go: family, friends, charity, consignment, recycle, etc. You’re going to sort things into piles according to where they are going. As you sort through things, here are some questions to ask yourself about each item: When was the last time it was used? How often do I use it? Do I own something else that can be used for the […]

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  • Helping A Loved One Move

    Posted on February 20, 2014

    When you’re working with a senior loved one on a move into an assisted living home, consider the following tips for making that move a little easier. First, you may want to take pictures of the home they are moving from, before you start rearranging things. This will give your senior a way to remember their home as it was. This can also help you recreate the feeling of the former home in the new home, which can be very helpful with the adjustment process. When preparing for the move, keep the layout of the new home in mind, you may even want to have pictures of the new space, too. Knowing how much space and how many rooms are in the new home will help you decide what to take, and what will not be moved. If at all possible, allow enough time to plan the move, so that your loved one doesn’t feel rushed. Remember that sorting through all […]

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  • Visiting Assisted Living Homes, Part 2

    Posted on February 5, 2014

    An important thing to keep in mind if you’re visiting assisted living facilities for a family member is that your likes and dislikes may be very different from those of your loved one. A good strategy is for you to tour all your best prospective homes, and then have your loved one tour one or two that you have chosen as the best ones. When you tour the apartments themselves, some things to look for: What kind of closet and storage space is available? In the bathroom, is there a walk-in shower or tub? Are there emergency cords and systems in place? Is the kitchenette suitable for preparing meals if the need occurs? Can the stove or burners be disabled if necessary? How and where are medications administered? If a pet is part of the family, are there doors to the outside available? Is pet care part of the assisted living services? Another thing to keep in mind is that […]

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