Convincing Mom to Leave Her Assisted Living Room for More Than Meals Might Feel Almost Impossible, but It’s Not

Everyone’s different. It’s an age-old adage that essentially means what works for one individual may not be effective for another. Perhaps your elderly mother had reluctantly, over time, come to realize assisted living was a decent option for her, but she wasn’t all that enthusiastic. Even if she was, you’ve noticed she isn’t really leaving her room, according to staff and her own rundown of the day’s events (except perhaps to go to breakfast and dinner).

You know there’s so much more for her at this facility.

You keep encouraging her to get out and explore, make friends, and become involved in this new community, and though she has generally been an outgoing individual most of her life, you can’t figure out why she’s tending to spend most of her time in her room.

Maybe you’ve gotten to the point where you don’t even think she’s listening to what you have to say about this important subject. Convincing her to do more and take advantage of this opportunity may sometimes feel like a lost cause, but there’s always something family and friends can do.

First, evaluate your calls and visits.

Speak to other family members and friends, too. Find out how often people are calling, stopping by to visit, or doing other things that would essentially cause your mother to stay in her room, anticipating the next communication or contact.

Often, people discover that their aging parents, grandparents, or even siblings are getting so many phone calls and visits throughout the week (especially when they first make this move) that they don’t want to miss a thing, so they have a tendency to stay in the room as much as possible.

Second, find out what types of activities are going on each day.

Maybe the staff have already been talking to your mother about these things, but perhaps she hasn’t honed in on the things that are most intriguing or interesting to her; if she doesn’t know about these activities, she might not think to explore and discover them on her own.

Finally, if this is going on long enough, contact the staff at the assisted living facility.

The staff will begin to understand her nuances, peccadilloes, and other behaviors and offer some insight that could clue you and other family members into what’s going on and why she may not be getting out of her room as often as you would think could be beneficial for her emotional well-being.

If you or an aging loved one are considering assisted living in Mobile, AL, contact Ashbury Manor Specialty Care and Assisted Living at 251-317-3017.