If your parent's home is where they raised their family and created a life of love, moving into a retirement community can seem like they're leaving their life behind. This can be a difficult transition for some seniors, but health and safety concerns often make the move to an assisted living community necessary and wise. Fortunately, there are ways to ease the transition and enjoy the benefits of an assisted living setting. Here's a closer look at how to make their new space feel more like home.

How to Make the Adjustment to Assisted Living Easier

1. Explore Memories

While your loved one is facing the transition from their long-term home, it's essential to take the time to listen to them. They might voice concerns about losing their independence or forgetting the memories that have made their life special. 

As you have conversations about the move, sit with them while going through the furnishings, mementos, photos, and other items they've collected over a lifetime. This will give them the time to reflect, tell stories, and reminisce, helping lighten the mood and narrow down the most important items to bring to their new home. 

2. Decorate

It's always enjoyable to decorate a space, whether it's old or new. Your loved one might have loved hanging favorite pictures or buying throw pillows to toss on couches and chairs. It's important to make their new home feel welcoming soon after they move in. 

Make decorating their new living space something you can do together. This creates more togetherness during the transition. They'll see you as a part of their new environment and see themselves reflected in it.

3. Help Them Embrace a New Lifestyle

Leaving their beloved home can also mean leaving friends behind. However, moving to an assisted living community will give your loved one a new group of people to get to know. There will be activities and gatherings that let them meet people with similar interests and hobbies. 

However, it's wise not to force them to join in if they aren't ready. Give them time to settle, acclimate to the new environment, and begin to discover all the benefits a senior living community can offer. Visit as often as you can, and soon enough, the daily and weekly events will help them feel more at home.

Abbington Assisted Living is proud to provide senior care throughout Columbus, Pickerington, Powell, Chillicothe, and Coshocton, OH. Abbington senior living communities are one-story buildings that are designed with comfort and security in mind, offering comprehensive nursing care services in a compassionate, comfortable, and cost-effective manner. Please visit our website or call us directly at (614) 451-4575 in Columbus, (614) 577-0822 in Pickerington, (614) 789-9868 in Powell, (740) 773-4630 in Chillicothe, or (740) 623-4600 in Coshocton.