Over 50? Keeping Up With Your Healthcare Needs

How To Transition From Independent Living To Nursing Home Care

11 January 2015

Nellie Ryan

If your loved one can no longer live independently, he or she may choose to live in a nursing home. However, it may bring about changes and challenges your family didn't expect to experience during the transition. These changes and challenges may include following a daily schedule instead of his or her own schedule. In addition, your loved one may not have the option of going out whenever he or she wants. Here are things you can do to help your loved one adjust to the move.

Take a Short Trip Down Memory Lane

Before your loved one enters a nursing home for care and possible treatment, take a trip down memory lane with him or her. Although most nursing home facilities provide weekly or monthly outings to the movies, museums and shopping plazas, these places may not offer trips to other places of interest. For instance, if your parent or grandparent enjoyed frequent visits to the local amusement park, make plans to visit it before the transition. But you should always take the appropriate precautions with your loved one before you make the visit.

Here's what you can do prior to the trip:

• Obtain an electric wheelchair for your loved one. The wheelchair keeps your loved one safe if he or she has mobility issues, such as the inability to walk short or long distances. Additionally, your loved one can move about freely without your assistance, which maintains his or her independence.
• Obtain permission from your loved one's doctor. Depending on your loved one's physical and mental health, the doctor can evaluate your loved one to see if he or she requires additional medication or equipment to make the trip easier on him or her.
• Obtain assistance from other family members. Ask siblings, grandchildren and other family members to accompany you and your loved one on the trip. This way, you can take a break if you need a break.

Once you come back from the trip, visit other places your parent or grandparent enjoys.

Visit Your Loved One's Favorite Restaurant

Dining out at your loved one's favorite restaurant may help ease the transition from independent living to nursing home care as well. Unless your loved on has specific dietary changes that interfere with eating, such as not being able to swallow solid foods, the restaurant may have ways to accommodate your loved one's diet. If not, prepare a dietary-specific dinner at home for your loved one and invite family and friends over. The friendly, stress-free atmosphere may encourage your parent or grandparent to interact with other residents of the nursing home when he or she arrives later on, especially if he or she feels comfortable and relaxed about the move.

If you need additional help making your loved one feel better about the nursing home move, contact the staff at the home for assistance.You can get more information by talking to a nursing home like Diamond View Assisted Living.

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