How to Deal with Anxiety When Moving to Senior Housing
Retirement can trigger mixed emotions and will make you face important decisions including whether to stay in senior housing or not.
Deciding to stay in a retirement home offers numerous benefits such as having low maintenance, being safe, secure, and healthy while still enjoying independence. But despite its wonderful benefits, moving can be stressful.
Tips on How to Reduce Moving Anxiety
Moving can be exhausting and stressful at any age. However, for seniors, moving to a new place is more than just about the physical stress. Moving into a new house can trigger sadness, anxiety, and depression.
Below are helpful tips that you can adapt to make the transition lighter.
Plan Ahead
Carefully plan on when exactly the move will happen to reduce anxiety and stress. It may seem easier to make decisions on your own, but it is best to include your senior loved one in the planning process.
This will also help you come up with the list of belongings your loved one wants to bring in the senior housing apartment he/she will be staying in.
Careful planning also means preparing a pack of medication, personal care items, toiletries, and other essentials.
Including a senior loved one in your decision-making process will lessen the overwhelming feeling of moving out from a familiar place.
Maintain Respect
Downsizing must be done before the big day. Maintain the use of kind language and always exercise empathy. Show respect when making decisions on what to keep and what to give away.
Seek the opinion of your elder on what to get rid of for what may look junk to you can be valuable or something with sentimental attachment. Spend with your loved one and go about keeping or donating those items that won’t be of use or won’t fit into the apartment.
Or you can suggest keeping these treasured items within the family. Ask family members if they are interested to keep cherished items. Doing so will give your senior loved one peace of mind.
Create a Familiar Space
Make your loved one choose the furniture or décor she/he wants to bring to the senior living villa or apartment. Instead of buying new decorations, stick to something familiar instead by bringing the bedside lamp, table, or chair.
Remember to Laugh
Maintain a lighthearted tone in everything that you do throughout the process. Do your best and encourage your loved ones to do the same. And even with careful planning, things can go wrong, so make sure you do not get easily frustrated.
Always aim for greater results and the benefit of your loved one. Laugh at small inconveniences instead of getting angry. Be patient in dealing with problems and when your loved one will see you frustrated or in a bad mood, he/she will feel the same.
Preparing for a move to a senior living facility can be both depressing and daunting for the family and the senior. With mixed feelings and negative emotions, the decision is not an easy journey.
But you and the rest of the family members can make things a lot easier by following these easy tips. If you still have questions or need assistance about moving to senior housing, click here!
Fallbrook Assisted Living is proud to offer its services to Fremont, NE, and surrounding areas and cities: Arlington, Cedar Bluffs, Ames Nickerson, Fontanelle, Arlington, Leshara, Colon, and Hooper
