Adult children may find it challenging to keep their elderly parents safe and entertained at home if they have Alzheimer's disease or another kind of dementia. Navigating the illness is challenging, particularly if family members have jobs outside the house. Caring for a loved one with dementia may take up all of your time, from dietary difficulties to worries about straying. To enhance the safety and quality of life for seniors, it might occasionally prompt families to research memory care assisted living programs.

A specialized dementia care program, like the one at Heritage Care Home, meets the residents where they are and takes into account their existing skills to design a lifestyle that fosters involvement and enables them to live as comfortably as possible. These programs also provide a secure environment that supports freedom while reducing the risk of wandering.

However, for many adult children, the thought of relocating a memory-impaired parent to an assisted living facility can cause worry and anxiety. It can also make family members feel guilty for not being able to handle a parent's care at home.

How can you successfully assist a senior loved one with dementia in adjusting to a new setting? You might find our advice valuable.

Moving a Parent with Dementia: 4 Tips

Make it familiar:

Being in a familiar environment helps persons with memory loss feel less stressed and anxious. It requires careful preparation since it is harder to perform as the dementia worsens. Consider the things your parent uses and touches most frequently. Perhaps they use a blanket to conceal themselves in their favorite chair. Or perhaps it's a treasured snapshot from their wedding. In their new assisted living apartment or suite, make an effort to replicate the environment from home. Their bathrobe should be hung wherever they will see it right away. Put a bedspread or blanket on their bed that they might be familiar with. Before they arrive, decorate the flat with pictures of your family. It's crucial to include in your parent's new place whatever items serve as reminders of "home" for them. The memory care program by Heritage Care Home is for its keepsake box filled with sentimental items. You'll learn how to make one for a loved one from our community team.

Moving time is crucial:

There are often good and terrible times of day for those with Alzheimer's and other types of dementia. Even though the sickness might be unexpected, planning a relocation to match their preferred time of day would be helpful. The best time for many elderly people with dementia is in the morning, especially if they have sundowner's syndrome. If at all feasible, arrange for family members or a moving company to transport your parent's possessions while you keep them occupied. It's crucial to include in your parent's new place whatever items serve as reminders of "home" for them. The memory care program at Heritage Care Home is known for its keepsake box filled with sentimental items. You'll learn how to make one for a loved one from our community team.

Create a reminiscence board:

There are often good and terrible times of day for those with Alzheimer's and other types of dementia. Even though the sickness might be unexpected, planning a relocation to match their preferred time of day would be helpful. The best time for many elderly people with dementia is in the morning, especially if they have sundowner's syndrome. If at all feasible, arrange for family members or a moving company to transport your parent's possessions while you keep them occupied. After they move in, you may leave it out for staff members and guests to see in a visible area of the apartment. Our Bridge to Rediscovery communities aid the family in compiling a thorough life history. We learn everything there is to know about each person, including their life story, profession, interests, and dislikes. Because of this, everyone finds the shift to be a lot more comfortable.

Music therapy:

A lot of individuals find the therapeutic harmonies of music to be helpful. Adults with dementia also share this. Play some of their favorite music gently in the background while they go through this transitional period. This can aid in easing the anxiety that your loved one is probably experiencing but is unable to express. Place a handful of their favorite musicians on a compact CD player. When you can't be there, request that the care staff turn it on.

When to Switch to Alzheimer's Care

Finally, we have a resource that might assist you in deciding if you're wondering how to know if it's time for your parent to go into a memory care facility. The article When to Transition a Loved One to Memory Care describes warning signals and issues that point to a senior moving into assisted living with dementia care.