Preparing Elderly Loved Ones to Nursing Homes
It is never easy for family members to let their elderly loved ones stay in nursing homes, much more to those who are moving out. The best thing that they can do is accept the fact that their loved ones will be in much better hands in these facilities and help them with the transition. Keeping their emotions will just make it difficult for both parties and can heighten the feeling of anger, loneliness and grief of the elderly.
They should help their loved ones understand the situation, that staying at home will make it difficult for them to live their lives comfortably. The tendency here is, they will feel unwanted or the family members are already tired of taking care of them. Of course these are not the real reasons why they need to move out but the problem here is they are not aware of that. So, they need to explain to them that through nursing facilities they can enjoy their retirement years even more and they can get all the extra assistance they need.
Time is an important factor in helping their loved ones to move in nursing facilities. Let them understand the importance of this transition and help them adjust in their new environment. However, there are instances wherein the move is abrupt. This may be due to medical emergencies, hospitalization, extreme cases of limited mobility and their demand for medical attention dramatically increases. If this is the case, then they should show their support, continue caring for them and pay them a visit often. With these gestures, they can accept their situation and feel more comfortable in their new home.
Acceptance is also much easier if they let their loved ones take the lead and choose the nursing homes. They should let them come along in visiting different nursing facilities. In this way, they can choose the one that is best for them and make them feel much closer to their original home. It would also help to let them make the choices in terms of adding personal touch to their new home and the things they can bring. If ever their loved ones are no longer in great shape to make these decisions, they should think of what their wishes would be. They could bring their favorite clothes and other things that can make them feel comfortable.
Once their loved ones are already settled, they should maintain constant communication. They should keep their loved ones in the family circle and give them updates by dropping by often, sending emails or letters and giving them a call. In this way, they will still feel important and a special part of the family. Through these things, they can help ease the transition and make it easy for their loved ones to accept their current situation.
They should also stay involved to make sure that their loved ones are receiving quality care and assistance. Family member s can do this by joining groups that meet on a regular basis that discuss issues and concerns regarding the nursing homes. By doing this, they can guarantee that satisfaction of their loved ones and make the transition more bearable for them.
Find out how you can prepare your loved one to move to nursing homes. We also provide tools and other helpful information that can help you choose the perfect facilities for your aging family member.
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