How To Make Your Loved One’s Transition Seamless

Transitioning your loved one into a retirement community can be overwhelming and emotional–there are many moving parts that go into this big change. Luckily, there are many ways to make their transition go smoothly. At Park View Estates Assisted Living and Memory Care, our modern Orange County senior living community, we strive to make the transition for all new residents easy by offering our assistance and support as needed. From our experience, we have learned a few tips that may help you make your loved one’s transition successful. Keep reading to learn more.

Make Their Space Feel Like Home

Familiarity is comforting. Making your loved one’s new living space reflect their previous space will make them feel more at peace! First, it’s essential to understand the floorplan they will be moving into, and downsize their belongings to reflect this. The more efficiently you pack, the easier the transition will be. We suggest that you bring their favorite decor items and furniture to provide familiarity and comfort, such as:

• Bedding
• Knick knacks
• Throw pillows
• Cozy blankets
• Lamps
• Books
• Family photos
• Knick knacks
• Wall art

Get Familiar With The Community

Getting used to the community layout and how it works is key to a successful transition. Although you and your loved one likely toured the community, it’s a good idea to ask a staff member to show you around once they are all moved in to refresh their memory and learn about any changes. You’ll want to know where the dining room is, where amenities are, how to contact staff, safety protocols, how maintenance works, and more. Helping your loved one become familiarized with the community early on will make them more comfortable and confident.

Meet Community Members

Related to getting familiar with the community, you and your loved one should also get to know our extraordinary community members–everyone is eager to meet them! From caregivers to staff to neighbors, there are many wonderful people to get to know. It’s important to begin building relationships early on to help make your loved one’s transition into our community more smooth. You know what they say–the people that make the place! Here are some ideas for getting to know community members:

• Invite someone to lunch
• Go to a community social
• Ask staff about their time in the community
• Invite neighbors over for morning coffee or afternoon tea

Set Up Everything

To ensure your loved one has as easy of a transition as possible, there are a few things you may need to set up. For example, you will want to ensure that their mailing address is changed for all subscriptions or accounts they are signed up for so that they will continue receiving them. Another thing you will want to set up is a care plan with the staff. For example, if your loved one needs help with medication management, this is something you should discuss ahead of time.

Get Involved

One of the fantastic benefits of Park View Estates is that there are so many opportunities and activities that your loved one can take advantage of without leaving the grounds. They can learn a new hobby, try new things, and meet new people. These opportunities serve as great ways to build genuine friendships, stimulate their mind, engage their body, relax, and more. Consider asking a staff member to share the offerings with your loved one to get an idea of which ones they are interested in so that we can assist them in participating and staying up-to-date. Here are a few examples of our offerings that your loved one can take advantage of:

• Ice cream socials
• Fitness classes, such as yoga
• Guest speakers
• Arts and crafts
• Spanish class
• Wheel of Fortune

These are some of the best ways to make your loved one’s transition easier! Our welcoming staff and community members at our retirement community in Orange County, CA at Park View Estates, are here to help make your loved one’s transition into the community as smooth as possible. We are all eager to meet and get to know them! Contact our friendly team today to learn more about or schedule a tour of Park View Estates.

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