Maintaining a Strong Bond with Your Parent in Their New Assisted Living Community
In today’s digital age, numerous avenues exist for maintaining connections with our loved ones. From traditional methods like letters and phone calls to modern solutions such as FaceTime and family Zoom meetings, technology offers an array of options to foster these connections.
However, when a parent or cherished family member transitions into an assisted living community, many individuals discover that despite having good intentions to stay connected, they often fall short due to the rapid pace of life. Phone calls get postponed, and weekly visits may be skipped.
This underscores the importance of crafting a concrete plan for staying connected with your loved one in an assisted living community. Balfour Senior Living offers practical tips to ensure they remain closely connected with you and other cherished individuals.
Call Your Parent Often
If your loved one resides in an assisted living community, and you’re already maintaining regular contact, consider doubling the current frequency of your calls. These conversations need not be lengthy, but frequent phone check-ins serve as a constant reminder that you’re thinking of them, especially when you can’t be physically present.
Moreover, these frequent calls needn’t delve into profound discussions. Casual conversations about everyday occurrences like grocery store crowds or the neighbor’s dog can bridge the gap between your daily life and your loved one’s experiences. In return, your loved one can provide insights into their community’s daily activities. It’s a form of mutual life-sharing through simple phone interactions, which significantly contribute to keeping residents of senior communities feeling connected.
Virtually Visit Them
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and other events in 2020, many of us have become intimately acquainted with the concept of leading a more “virtual” life. Whether it’s for work purposes or simply to connect with family and friends from afar, we’ve all come to appreciate the significance of remote communication and a dependable Wi-Fi connection.
For residents in assisted living, tools like Zoom and FaceTime served as lifelines during 2020 when face-to-face visits were restricted due to the pandemic. However, even before these challenging times, these remote communication platforms were already popular, allowing people from across the country or even abroad to maintain regular contact with their loved ones residing in assisted living communities.
Approach virtual visits with the same level of planning and commitment as you would for in-person visits. Just as you’d arrange face-to-face meetings, establish a consistent schedule for virtual visits. Opt for a familiar platform like Zoom or Skype or utilize the technology already in place at your loved one’s senior community for virtual interactions.
While virtual visits may lack the physical touch of an in-person meeting, the opportunity to see familiar faces and hear familiar voices fosters a deeper sense of connection. It serves as the closest alternative to being there in person, and your loved one’s assisted living community should readily accommodate these virtual connections to ensure everyone stays connected and engaged.
Schedule Regular Visits
Maintaining a genuine connection with your loved one in an assisted living community is best achieved through regular in-person visits. If family members reside nearby, consider setting up routine gatherings, such as Sunday dinners or biweekly game nights. Many senior communities provide designated areas for families to engage in various activities together or simply spend quality time. However, if proximity poses a challenge, aim for monthly or bi-monthly visits whenever possible. Alternatively, when physical distance becomes a barrier, explore the option of scheduling virtual visits. The process is more accessible than it may seem, and we’ll delve into virtual visitation in more detail shortly.
Scheduled visits offer both delight and a sense of order. Placing these visits on a calendar gives you and your loved one something to anticipate, providing solace on days when you may miss each other. These consistently scheduled family gatherings contribute to the structure of an assisted living resident’s daily life and serve as an excellent means to allow family connections.
Family visits and the bonds they foster are of paramount importance for seniors. By establishing a concrete visitation plan, you ensure your loved one doesn’t miss out on precious family moments. If you’re still in the process of selecting an assisted living community, be sure to inquire about the community’s approach to encouraging family involvement in resident life.
Interact with Them on Social Media
Don’t underestimate seniors’ presence on social media; many of them navigate these platforms with ease, frequently sharing photos of their grandchildren and humorous memes.
In fact, Facebook is a popular choice for seniors, with 41 percent of those aged 65 or older actively using the platform, alongside 65 percent of individuals aged 50-64. According to research, social media engagement among people aged 65 and above has surged by over 45 percent since 2006, proving that social media has transcended generational boundaries, extending its reach to great-grandparents.
Select a social media platform and engage actively. These platforms offer seniors an excellent avenue to view family event photos, witness loved ones’ milestones like school beginnings or graduations, and partake in enjoyable conversations. Whether it’s for sharing laughter through amusing GIFs and memes or simply staying connected, social media bridges the gap and keeps seniors engaged and in touch with loved ones in assisted living.
Ask a Caregiver at the Community
If your loved one is in memory care, it’s advisable to engage in a conversation with their caregiver. They possess the expertise to assist you in establishing meaningful and consistent interactions with your loved one.
For instance, the assisted living staff responsible for your loved one can arrange activities for in-person visits or facilitate the setup of the required technology for virtual meetings. Their assistance becomes even more valuable if your loved one is receiving memory care services or under the ongoing supervision of a medical professional.
Additionally, if you’re unsure about the frequency of your interactions, don’t hesitate to seek guidance. Assisted living community professionals have extensive experience and can provide valuable insights on when and how to connect effectively, aligning their recommendations with your loved one’s best interests.
Learn More About Assisted Living Opportunities at Balfour Senior Living in Colorado
Regardless of your chosen means of connection, it’s essential to recognize that relationships are a two-way street. Ensuring your loved one feels engaged in your life is vital, but it’s equally important to actively engage in theirs.
At Balfour Senior Living, we promote extensive quality time between our residents and their loved ones, considering them as an integral part of our extended family. To gain further insight into the daily experiences at assisted living in Colorado and discover additional information about these senior living opportunities, contact us today.
In today’s digital age, numerous avenues exist for maintaining connections with our loved ones. From traditional methods like letters and phone calls to modern solutions such as FaceTime and family Zoom meetings, technology offers an array of options to foster these connections.
However, when a parent or cherished family member transitions into an assisted living community, many individuals discover that despite having good intentions to stay connected, they often fall short due to the rapid pace of life. Phone calls get postponed, and weekly visits may be skipped.
This underscores the importance of crafting a concrete plan for staying connected with your loved one in an assisted living community. Balfour Senior Living offers practical tips to ensure they remain closely connected with you and other cherished individuals.
Call Your Parent Often
If your loved one resides in an assisted living community, and you’re already maintaining regular contact, consider doubling the current frequency of your calls. These conversations need not be lengthy, but frequent phone check-ins serve as a constant reminder that you’re thinking of them, especially when you can’t be physically present.
Moreover, these frequent calls needn’t delve into profound discussions. Casual conversations about everyday occurrences like grocery store crowds or the neighbor’s dog can bridge the gap between your daily life and your loved one’s experiences. In return, your loved one can provide insights into their community’s daily activities. It’s a form of mutual life-sharing through simple phone interactions, which significantly contribute to keeping residents of senior communities feeling connected.
Virtually Visit Them
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and other events in 2020, many of us have become intimately acquainted with the concept of leading a more “virtual” life. Whether it’s for work purposes or simply to connect with family and friends from afar, we’ve all come to appreciate the significance of remote communication and a dependable Wi-Fi connection.
For residents in assisted living, tools like Zoom and FaceTime served as lifelines during 2020 when face-to-face visits were restricted due to the pandemic. However, even before these challenging times, these remote communication platforms were already popular, allowing people from across the country or even abroad to maintain regular contact with their loved ones residing in assisted living communities.
Approach virtual visits with the same level of planning and commitment as you would for in-person visits. Just as you’d arrange face-to-face meetings, establish a consistent schedule for virtual visits. Opt for a familiar platform like Zoom or Skype or utilize the technology already in place at your loved one’s senior community for virtual interactions.
While virtual visits may lack the physical touch of an in-person meeting, the opportunity to see familiar faces and hear familiar voices fosters a deeper sense of connection. It serves as the closest alternative to being there in person, and your loved one’s assisted living community should readily accommodate these virtual connections to ensure everyone stays connected and engaged.
Schedule Regular Visits
Maintaining a genuine connection with your loved one in an assisted living community is best achieved through regular in-person visits. If family members reside nearby, consider setting up routine gatherings, such as Sunday dinners or biweekly game nights. Many senior communities provide designated areas for families to engage in various activities together or simply spend quality time. However, if proximity poses a challenge, aim for monthly or bi-monthly visits whenever possible. Alternatively, when physical distance becomes a barrier, explore the option of scheduling virtual visits. The process is more accessible than it may seem, and we’ll delve into virtual visitation in more detail shortly.
Scheduled visits offer both delight and a sense of order. Placing these visits on a calendar gives you and your loved one something to anticipate, providing solace on days when you may miss each other. These consistently scheduled family gatherings contribute to the structure of an assisted living resident’s daily life and serve as an excellent means to allow family connections.
Family visits and the bonds they foster are of paramount importance for seniors. By establishing a concrete visitation plan, you ensure your loved one doesn’t miss out on precious family moments. If you’re still in the process of selecting an assisted living community, be sure to inquire about the community’s approach to encouraging family involvement in resident life.
Interact with Them on Social Media
Don’t underestimate seniors’ presence on social media; many of them navigate these platforms with ease, frequently sharing photos of their grandchildren and humorous memes.
In fact, Facebook is a popular choice for seniors, with 41 percent of those aged 65 or older actively using the platform, alongside 65 percent of individuals aged 50-64. According to research, social media engagement among people aged 65 and above has surged by over 45 percent since 2006, proving that social media has transcended generational boundaries, extending its reach to great-grandparents.
Select a social media platform and engage actively. These platforms offer seniors an excellent avenue to view family event photos, witness loved ones’ milestones like school beginnings or graduations, and partake in enjoyable conversations. Whether it’s for sharing laughter through amusing GIFs and memes or simply staying connected, social media bridges the gap and keeps seniors engaged and in touch with loved ones in assisted living.
Ask a Caregiver at the Community
If your loved one is in memory care, it’s advisable to engage in a conversation with their caregiver. They possess the expertise to assist you in establishing meaningful and consistent interactions with your loved one.
For instance, the assisted living staff responsible for your loved one can arrange activities for in-person visits or facilitate the setup of the required technology for virtual meetings. Their assistance becomes even more valuable if your loved one is receiving memory care services or under the ongoing supervision of a medical professional.
Additionally, if you’re unsure about the frequency of your interactions, don’t hesitate to seek guidance. Assisted living community professionals have extensive experience and can provide valuable insights on when and how to connect effectively, aligning their recommendations with your loved one’s best interests.
Learn More About Assisted Living Opportunities at Balfour Senior Living in Colorado
Regardless of your chosen means of connection, it’s essential to recognize that relationships are a two-way street. Ensuring your loved one feels engaged in your life is vital, but it’s equally important to actively engage in theirs.
At Balfour Senior Living, we promote extensive quality time between our residents and their loved ones, considering them as an integral part of our extended family. To gain further insight into the daily experiences at assisted living in Colorado and discover additional information about these senior living opportunities, contact us today.
