Seniors For Living

The house is quiet and empty. You are restless. You were used to a busy morning of helping Dad bathe and dress, preparing breakfast and serving him food, giving him his medications, then setting him up with the morning paper while you cleared the breakfast dishes — all before his 10:30am doctor’s appointment.

After the person you’ve been caring for at home has made the move to assisted living, things will definitely change. However, you can and should still be involved in caregiving from afar.

Some caregivers may think a short weekly or even monthly visit to the assisted living community where the caree now resides is enough, that the staff is equipped to provide care and you’re no longer needed. This is not true. The staff will appreciate your involvement, and your loved one will welcome the visits. You will need to redefine your role, will need to discover what tasks would be most helpful, but since the majority of assisted living communities do not have the staff coverage to provide one-on-one care for all residents, there may be times when you will continue in your caregiving duties much like you had done at home: driving Dad to the doctor, doing his laundry, checking in to make sure he has everything he needs.

Read this post, Simple Ways to Support a Loved One in Assisted Living, for further insights.