When Your Mom or Grandmother Moves into Assisted Living
When your mom or grandmother moves into assisted living, everything can feel so chaotic, and yet it is filled with moments frozen in time. Whether the move is planned or suddenly required, you both feel it.
What do I know now that I wish I knew then?
· ♥️ Once the boxes and pieces of furniture arrive, prioritize the unpacking. Focus first on her favorite space where she sits to read and watch TV. Make that area her go-to place and make it comfortable and welcoming. Flowers help.
· ♥️ Find a printout of the monthly events for the assisted living facility and go over it with her, developing a list of questions about where each event takes place (Bible study, art class, line dancing, in-house library, etc.) Keep this list handy for when the floor assistants drop by – they can help answer the questions.
· ♥️ Plug in her phone, watch, tablet, and computer chargers close to her favorite space and get a Velcro fastener to keep the ends on the table so that she can find them easily.
· ♥️ Take time to sit and talk about what she would like to do with the décor of her new place. Which pictures should go on which walls? What about an over-the-door hanging rack in the bathroom for her robe and nightgown? What kinds of plants would she like for her new place?
· - ♥️ It means so much when family members drop by to talk, particularly when there are new grandchildren or great-grandchildren to meet. 💕
· ♥️ Her friends can help with the transition by keeping up the phone calls and visits that had taken place before the move. As Mom’s macular degeneration intensified, one of her best friends began calling her every evening to read that day’s devotion from Jesus Calling – a daily devotion book that Mom had been reading daily for years. It was such a simple thing, but oh, what a gift her friend gave Mom.
Time spent with my mom was treasured time. By nature, she was upbeat and always ready for the next adventure. As she got older, she reflected more, and we talked about a lot of things that neither of us had time for when we were younger and busier – things like faith, her early life, and how she met my dad so many years ago. We had some of our best talks when she was in assisted living, as days grew quieter. Sweet talks with some tears and lots of smiles as we both remembered.
Take the time. Send her cards. Bring her flowers. Make her favorite meal. Plan a girl’s day out. Life is sweet.
Blessings,
Amanda B.
Lifts & Gifts - Thoughtful Gifts for Moms and Grandmothers