Making Aging Services a Positive Experience
Once your loved one has moved into an aging services facility, you still play a key role in the quality of life they are able to maintain there. Your involvement in your loved one’s care goes beyond just the amount of time you spend visiting.
Getting to know his or her caretakers can make the experience more pleasant for both you and your loved one. It may also be crucial to his or her health that you maintain communication with caregivers and pass on any changes in condition that you notice. Being friendly with your loved ones’ neighbors and their family members is also a good way to cultivate a healthy living environment.
Most aging services facilities, nursing homes included, allow residents
to leave the facility freely with family members. If this is the case
at your loved one’s aging service facility, you can continue to
include your loved one in holidays, family outings, and special events.
If this is too difficult, there are ways to bring family into the facility
in a comfortable and enjoyable way. Some facilities may have small lounges
or private
dining rooms that you can reserve for family gatherings, like birthday
dinners. There may be organized recreational events that include families,
like annual summer picnics or holiday parties.
There are hundreds of little ways that you can make your loved one’s aging services experience more positive and comfortable. Here are some ideas to help you brainstorm.
- Pass along your loved one’s new mailing address to family and friends so that your loved one continues to receive holiday and birthday cards.
- Ask your religious leader to visit.
- Bring your loved one his or her favorite food.
- Visit on sunny days so that you can bring your loved one outside for fresh air while you talk.
- Bring your loved one festive clothing or decorations during holidays.
- Have a meal with your loved one in the nursing home when you have the opportunity
- Organize a volunteer activity in the facility with a youth or religious group
- Bring in favorite movies or music on a quiet weekend.
- Encourage other family members to accompany you on your visits.
- Offer to drive your loved one’s friends to visit who might not have cars.
- Call your loved one regularly during a time when there isn’t much going on at the home, like after dinner.
After a while, you will probably get a sense for what type of visits go smoothly and are most enjoyable for both you and your loved one. Perhaps scheduling visits puts your loved one at ease and gives them something to look forward to. Maybe your loved one reacts best to multiple short visits, rather than fewer, extended visits. And you might find that one-to-one visits are optimal. Be attentive so that you can feel this out soon and get into a routine that works.
Remember that the more effort you put into your loved one’s wellness, the more likely it is that your visits will be positive experiences. The worst thing you can do is stay away because of a bad visit or your loved one’s complaints. Your absence won’t help these negative sentiments, but your presence and positive energy can help diminish them.