Whether your parents have lived in the same house since you were 12 or spent the last 10 years traveling the country — transitioning to senior living is an intimidating prospect.
Between choosing the right community to worrying about making new friends, they may wonder if they could ever possibly feel at home.
The good news: you can help your elderly parents adjust — and even thrive — in senior living.
Here, we offer 10 tips for helping elderly parents adjust to senior living so you can create a smooth transition for both you and your loved one.
Table of Contents
- What’s the Most Important Thing I Can Do to Help My Parent Adjust to Senior Living?
- 8 Tips for Helping Elderly Parents Adjust to Senior Living
- Commonly Asked Questions About How to Help Elderly Parents Adjust to Senior Living
- How Long Does It Take for an Elderly Person to Adjust to Assisted Living?
- Experience a Smooth Transition to Senior Living with Senior Services of America
What’s the Most Important Thing I Can Do to Help My Parent Adjust to Senior Living?
Encouraging them to live in community
The most important thing you can do to ease your parents’ adjustment to senior living is to provide consistent support. This includes:
- Actively listening to their concerns and fears
- Helping them make their new place feel like “home”
- Maintaining regular visits
- Encouraging them to establish consistent routines
- Introducing them to fellow residents
- Encouraging them to live in community
- Reminding them that adjustment takes time
Senior Services of America offers comfortable and inviting senior living communities throughout the Pacific Northwest. From independent living to assisted living to memory care, you can be sure your loved one will receive a warm welcome and the highest quality of care. Ready to learn more? Find a community near you.
8 Tips for Helping Elderly Parents Adjust to Senior Living
1: Keep the Lines of Communication Open
Transitioning to senior living can be scary, and it’s normal for your parents to feel anxious about leaving their familiar home.
Take the time to validate their concerns and listen without judgment. You may find that simply listening to what’s on their hearts can ease their worries about losing independence.
Whenever possible, allow your parents to have a say in choosing their new senior living arrangements, and reassure them with promises of your continued support and visits.
This will help them feel heard and empowered rather than forced into making a change.
2: Encourage Them to Personalize Their New Space
One of the best ways to help your elderly parents adjust to senior living is by supporting them as they turn their new space into a ‘home.’
Some seniors appreciate considerable help, while others may just want you available for moral support. The important thing to remember is it’s their home, and as long as safety isn’t an issue, step back and allow them to participate in as much of the process as they would like.
Often, senior adults enjoy the security of their new home feeling like their old one as much as possible. They may want the living room set up similarly, or their bed on the same wall.
Prioritize helping them add personal touches to help the space feel welcoming from the start.
3: Help Them Establish Routines
Consistency provides comfort. Helping your parents implement consistent daily habits will give them a sense of structure, familiarity, and stability, and eases anxiety in a new environment that can often feel overwhelming.
Encourage regular times for:
- Getting up each morning
- Eating meals and snacks
- Participating in community activities
- Engaging in exercise classes or walking
- Enjoying their favorite hobbies
- Winding down for bed
4: Introduce Them to Other Residents
You want your parents to feel connected and supported as soon as possible in their new community, and a great way to get that process underway is by helping them become acquainted with their new neighbors.
Studies show that strong social bonds can help reduce feelings of loneliness, ease anxiety, and make the transition to senior living more enjoyable. It’s helpful to keep in mind that the other residents also made this transition and can empathize with the varied emotions your parents are surely feeling.
5: Urge Participation in Community Activities and Events
Once your parents are settled in their new home, encourage them to get out and about to meet their fellow residents and the staff.
Many assisted living facilities have a very active social calendar to encourage residents to:
- Meet fellow residents
- Develop and strengthen friendships
- Leave their apartments
- Get physical exercise
- Maintain an upbeat mood
- Enjoy cognitive exercise
In the beginning, encourage — but don’t push — your parents to immerse themselves in the community until they’re ready. If they seem hesitant, offering to go with them may be just the support they need to feel more comfortable and begin interacting.
6: Encourage Them to Continue Spending Time with Loved Ones
Mental health challenges, such as depression or anxiety, aren’t uncommon among aging adults — especially when adjusting to a new environment.
The mental health benefits of family visits for seniors are profound, and visits from family and friends can combat these issues, providing emotional reassurance and the normalcy of routines.
By spending time with loved ones, seniors experience the mental stimulation that comes from interacting in deep conversations. These visits often become opportunities to discuss current events and share memories, both of which enhance mental activity and possibly delay cognitive decline.
The presence of family also lessens stress and anxiety, offering a comforting reminder that their loved ones are nearby.
7: Help Them Remain Involved in Life Outside the Community
Although your parents’ living arrangements have changed, encourage them to remain in touch and active with their friends and family outside the new community.
Sunday lunch with family, Friday night card games, and bi-weekly hair appointments can still happen!
If their community is unable to provide transportation, you or other family members or friends can provide a ride so they can still attend their favorite gatherings or events.
8: Remember, Transitions Take Time
Settling in will take time, and it’s completely normal for your parents to need a period of adjustment when moving into senior living. This time of life often comes with mixed emotions — the excitement of new opportunities mingled with the sadness of leaving behind many of the familiar aspects of life.
Patience, reassurance, and steady support from family and friends are crucial for helping them feel at home. Give your parents the space they need to process the newness — both the emotions and the environment. Remind them that it’s fine to take it one step at a time and be sure to celebrate each milestone along the way. With time and plenty of loving support, their new surroundings can begin to feel like home.
Commonly Asked Questions About How to Help Elderly Parents Adjust to Senior Living
How Often Should I Visit My Parents Once They Move to Senior Living?
Frequent visits during the first few weeks can help them feel more settled and confident as they experience your presence, love, and care.
Over time, you can adjust to a routine that works for both of you while ensuring they feel supported without becoming overly dependent.
What Signs May Indicate My Parents Are Struggling in Their Senior Living Facility?
Keep an eye out for:
- Ongoing sadness
- Withdrawal
- Refusal to participate in activities
- Changes in eating or sleeping habits
If these persist, speak with staff to determine the best options for support.
How Can I Work with the Staff to Support My Parents in Their New Home?
- Share key information: With your parents’ permission, tell the staff their personal stories, including family background, career, and hobbies. This helps them better understand your loved one and enables them to give your parents a more personalized experience.
- Build a relationship: Introduce yourself to the staff and take the time to get to know them during visits. Building rapport and gaining trust can make them more attentive to your parents’ needs.
- Advocate, when necessary: At times, you may have to speak up and be your parents’ voice, ensuring their needs, concerns, and choices are heard by the staff.
How Long Does It Take for an Elderly Person To Adjust to Assisted Living?
The time it takes to adjust to a new living arrangement is unique to each person; however, 3–6 months is the average time it takes for someone to feel comfortable and settled in a new environment.
Factors that may affect the overall adjustment to a senior living community may include:
- An introverted or extroverted personality
- Their overall health
- The level of family involvement and frequency of visits
- Whether their apartment feels like home
- The amount of encouragement they receive from the new community to become involved in activities, events, or social gatherings
Adjusting to senior living is challenging. Don’t be discouraged if the first few weeks seem extra hard and try to help your parents focus on the positive aspects of their new environment.
Ease the Adjustment to Senior Living with Senior Services of America
At Senior Services of America, we’re focused on helping your elderly parents adjust to senior living — and thrive!
Our communities throughout the Pacific Northwest offer the full range of senior living options and levels of care to accommodate every lifestyle. Residents are encouraged to pursue personal interests and maximize their independence — while still receiving the supportive services they may require.
Contact your nearest community today for additional information or to schedule a tour. We’re here to support you and your loved ones every step of the way.
The content in this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.