A Smooth Move

A Smooth Move

An aging parent who must move into a senior community needs a smoother transition during these life events. Most seniors want to remain in their family home, but health challenges prevent them from staying alone, and they need extra services the family cannot provide. Senior communities fulfill the needs of elderly individuals and give them a better quality of life. Families can review tips for improving this transition and making the move easier for the entire family.  

Schedule a Tour

Families set up private tours at senior communities to give their loved ones a chance to explore the community and see what is available. Elderly loved ones want to get the option to choose their own living spaces and the community where they live. Administrators set up the tours and show everyone where the residents stay and what they can do each day. In an assisted living community, seniors are able to thrive and get all the amenities they need, and a private tour helps family members find the ideal setting for these loved ones. 

Establish A Power of Attorney and Health Care Proxy

Seniors who have been diagnosed with dementia need to set up a power of attorney and healthcare proxy. The power of attorney allows a family member to manage the person’s assets and finances, and they can pay the loved one’s bills, such as the cost of living in the senior community. Seniors can add stipulations for these assignments to protect their assets. 

With a healthcare proxy, the family member makes all medical decisions for the senior if they are no longer capable of making sound decisions. Once the senior becomes incapacitated, their healthcare proxy takes over. It’s important to get these assignments out of the way to make this transition easier and have an advocate for the elderly loved one.  

Set Up Respite Care

Before the senior chooses a senior community, they could take advantage of respite care and experience the community first. During respite care, the senior receives the same level of care they’d receive if they were a permanent resident in the community, and they can determine if they feel at home.

Many seniors move into assisted living when they are experiencing cognitive decline and their families have been providing care for them each day. Respite care is an opportunity to give a caregiver a break, but it is also an option to see if the senior likes the community.  

Show Them How Memory Services Work 

Seniors with Alzheimer’s disease need memory care services to improve their recollection and help them complete simple tasks. Memory care involves activities that include one or two steps to make it easier for the person to remember, and the purpose of assisted living is to keep the residents as independent as possible.

A senior who is looking for a new community needs to know what to expect when they participate in these activities. A tour can give them more access to the staff that conducts memory care services and get to know them. 

Manage The Family Home and Years of Belongings

The progression of dementia determines if the senior needs to move into assisted living in Simi Valley, CA before downsizing. If they are at risk, the family should manage the sale of the family home and pack up all their aging parent’s belongings. Any items the senior needs are taken to the parent at the senior community. To make the transition smoother, the family should get a list of items that their loved one really wants in their new living space, and the family can bring these items a little at a time instead of overwhelming them with a lot of belongings. 

Cancel Services for the Family Home

Once the family home sells, the family must shut down all utilities and cover these final expenses. If the senior had automatic payments, the family can stop these payments.   

Terrific Homes for Seniors

At Vista Simi Valley, we offer exceptional homes for seniors who have health challenges, and our staff offers a variety of services to make life better for all residents. In our community, we offer a smooth transition from independent living to assisted living and ensure these changes are beneficial for residents. Find out more about our community by scheduling a private tour.