Moving your elderly parents or family members into an assisted living facility may be a difficult decision. However, these communities can significantly increase their quality of life. Once you transition older loved ones into assisted living, you might wonder how family involvement impacts their new situation.
Evaluating your loved one’s condition and environment will offer clues to the right level of family engagement. However, research shows that in almost every situation, effective family involvement in senior care can make a positive impact in the latest stage of their life.
Explore assisted living by Unlimited Care Cottages to give your loved ones the benefits of around-the-clock care, stimulating social environments, and independent living. Our professionals tend to your loved one’s daily needs while giving them space to retain their autonomy and satisfaction with life. Call today to schedule a tour of our facilities.
Striking the Right Balance
Like most things in life, striking the right balance of family involvement in your senior’s care impacts the larger effects their new living situation has on their life. Remember that just because you no longer serve as the primary caregiver, your presence in their life remains a critical element of their happiness.
Depending on your family member’s medical and cognitive condition, caregivers at their facility might offer suggestions based on their case. Remain open to expert recommendations but remember that they are still your family members. You have the right to visit more frequently so long as you respect all the caregivers and employees.
Your loved ones may also express their wishes to you. Some people need time to adjust to new circumstances without reminders of home, while others will want support through their transition. Adjust your family involvement accordingly.
The Importance of Advocacy
Although an assisted living facility relinquishes many of your caregiving responsibilities, advocacy remains an essential feature of family involvement. You probably thoroughly researched the facility before transitioning your loved one into their care. However, neglect and maltreatment may still be possible even with comprehensive vetting processes.
Check that your loved ones are receiving everything they need to feel secure and safe. Don’t hesitate to report any signs of malpractice or neglect you observe.
Risks of Entitlement
While advocacy is essential, be careful not to become entitled with your senior’s care. Your expectations will guide your reaction to the care your loved one receives. If you’re expecting a one-to-one caregiver and senior ratio, assisted living facilities may not be the right choice for your family.
Although employees at these homes care deeply about your family member, they have other seniors to serve. Avoid becoming an overbearing presence in the facility or demanding constant attention for your loved one. Your elderly family member may not even want that level of care.
Benefits of Appropriate Family Involvement in Senior Care
Appropriately interfacing with your family’s senior care facility offers many benefits for your loved one. Ensuring appropriate care while also maintaining a continued presence and investment in their life prevents senior loneliness. Family involvement positively impacts a senior’s life in three categories.
Support
Your loved one may feel alienated when they first move to an assisted living facility. Depending on their needs and wishes, keeping your family involved in their transition can ease anxieties. Visiting and calling offer reassurance that you’re not just abandoning them now that caregivers provide for basic needs.
Social
Despite the automatic social environment seniors engage in by living in an assisted living facility, remaining involved in their social life can improve outcomes. During visits, play games they love or engage with other members of their assisted living facility.
When seniors observe you engaging with their new social space, it may encourage them to view their new situation more positively. Furthermore, developing relationships with other members of the assisted living community can make your visits more enjoyable.
Safety
Finally, remaining involved in your senior’s care secures their livelihood and safety. By keeping a watchful but respectful eye over their living conditions, you can look for signs of abuse and maltreatment that could negatively impact their experience.
Furthermore, your senior might have certain access needs that caregivers are still learning. Thus, you can provide some guidance for these professionals in understanding how to serve your loved one.
Deciding How To Spend Your Time
One of the central features of family involvement in senior care is how you choose to spend your time during visits. Avoid becoming too preoccupied with the quality of care and instead enjoy fun and recreation with your loved one. Fun can boost their morale and feelings about their community.
Depending on how much time you want to spend at your senior’s facility, you may want to become more involved. Assisting and volunteering during meal times and daily tasks can demonstrate to professionals in an assisted living facility that you care about the vitality of their entire community. This investment may inadvertently improve their service to your loved one: what goes around comes around.
Finding the Right Facility
Some facilities have limitations on the number of times loved ones can visit seniors. While this may seem strange, certain care practices prioritize independence and autonomy while settling into a new community.
Limitations may not be attractive to your family or elderly loved ones. As a result, ensure that you ask questions about limits or rules for family involvement before committing to a facility to ensure that you select the best fit for your family.
Safeguard Your Elderly Loved Ones With Unlimited Care Assisted Living Cottages
Making decisions for elderly parents can be difficult. However, our elder care experts are here to ease the transition into assisted living and ensure that your loved ones receive top-notch care. Relinquish the stress of serving as the primary caregiver for your aging family members by transitioning them into Unlimited Care Assisted Living Cottages today.
For more information about the appropriate level of family involvement in elder care, call (713) 419-2609 and schedule a tour of Unlimited Care Assisted Living Cottages today.