If you are trying to figure out whether your mother is adjusting to her new life at assisted living or not, below we give you a few signs that she is. Not everyone is going to adjust to significant changes in their life at the same pace or in the same way, so it’s important not to get caught up in looking for these specific signs.
Assisted living is one of the best options for aging men and women who need at least some level of care and support, even if it is not daily. Or, for people who no longer want to deal with the regular upkeep, cleaning, and maintenance of their home.
If your mother has recently moved into an assisted living community and you aren’t sure if she is adjusting as well as you hoped she would, are feeling guilty for having recommended it, even though she wasn’t too enthusiastic about it at first, let’s set your mind at ease.
Do you recognize any of these following signs from your mother? If so, then you can rest assured that most likely she is adjusting quite well her new assisted living home.
Sign #1: She’s not in her room when you call.
Assisted Living Citronelle, AL: Adjusting to Assisted Living
Of course, this doesn’t mean everything is just fine, but if you call in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening, or at different times throughout the day, and she doesn’t answer, it’s usually due to one of two reasons.
Either she’s ignoring you, which is highly unlikely, or she is not in her room. In most cases, elderly men and women, when they move into an assisted living facility that offers various activities, has great residents who are friendly and engaging, and offer wonderful entertainment options, those elderly men and women are active.
Your mother is probably not in her room because she is doing something throughout the day. That is a great sign that she is having fun, making new friends, perhaps reconnecting with friends she hasn’t seen in a while, and enjoying life.
Sign #2: She seems happier.
When you do talk to her on the phone or visit, you notice a change in her demeanor. Perhaps before, while she was struggling at home, she seemed lonely, frustrated, and unhappy.
Now, though, there is a bounce in her step, a twinkle in her eye, and a smile that she can’t seem to hide.
Sign #3: She speaks highly of this decision.
Some people will talk positively about decisions they didn’t really like or agree with in order to help their loved one feel better. She’s not patronizing you, though. Not if she is talking highly about assisted living and how great this decision really was.
She might not have been on board with the decision for assisted living when you first brought it up, but she has come around now. She sees it from the inside and realizes how beneficial it is for her life, her safety, and, perhaps most importantly, for her quality of life.
When you see any or all of these signs, rest assured she is adjusting quite well to assisted living.
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