How to Be There for a Senior During a Temporary Assisted Living Stay

A temporary assisted living stay can be less overwhelming and more comfortable with these tips.

After a hospitalization or surgical procedure, the doctor may recommend a temporary assisted living stay before the person returns home. This is typically a short-term time of intensive therapy to promote healing and recovery. However, the thought of moving into a nursing home or assisted living facility even for a matter of weeks or months can be extremely difficult to accept.

How can you help a loved one through this challenging life event? There are several steps you can take to help overcome feelings of fear, anxiety, and homesickness during a temporary facility stay.

• Personalize the room. The facility will provide the bare necessities: a bed, chair, and dresser. Make the space feel more like home by bringing in items like a favorite quilt and pillows, family photos, and other small memorabilia. Pack their favorite shampoo, lotion, and other personal care items, along with comfortable clothes. Be cautious, however, about bringing any items of special significance or value. This applies to clothing as well, which may get lost or delivered to the wrong person in the laundering process.
• Be a motivator. Your family member will have a regimen of exercises and activities to work on with their physical, occupational, and/or speech therapist. If the senior and staff agree, attend therapy sessions with the person. Find out what’s involved with their recovery process, and how you can best provide encouragement. For instance, they may be encouraged to walk as much as possible. Taking walks together during your visits can provide the motivation they need to reach their goals.
• Visit often. You may feel as though the senior is receiving all the care they need, and that short or infrequent visits are fine. However, your presence and companionship are invaluable during this time. Pack a sandwich and join the person for lunch. Play games and cards together. Bring a book for the senior to read when you’re gone, and read the same book yourself, so you can discuss it together. Or simply sit with them and allow them to share whatever is on their heart.

You can also ask the doctor if recovery at home is an option. If so, Hired Hands Homecare is here to help every step of the way! We can begin by helping to prepare the home for the person’s discharge from the hospital. This can include grocery shopping so there are plenty of healthy food choices available, picking up medications, and performing a safety assessment to reduce the risk of a fall. Once back at home, we can provide medication reminders, prepare meals, take care of light housekeeping, help with walking and transfers, and much more. Through it all, we’re here with friendly companionship to brighten the process of recovery at home.

Reach out to us any time at (866) 940-4343 to find out more about how we can help before, during, or a temporary assisted living stay in Novato, Petaluma, San Rafael, and throughout the Bay Area.