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How to Adjust to Life in Your New Senior Living Community

Many of life’s major transitions start out with stress and worry but soon turn into feelings of happiness and fulfillment. Moving to a new senior living community can be the same – the adjustment can be a challenge, but eventually the process provides a newfound feeling of freedom.

Luckily independent living does not mean that the best times are behind you. These communities mean living freely and enjoying life without the hassles of home ownership.

Tips For a Smooth Adjustment

These steps will help you adjust quickly and easily to a fulfilled life at a senior living community:

1. Give yourself time to adjust to your surroundings – Take a few days or even a few weeks to get used to your new life.
2. Create a look for your space – Take time to make it unique and special to you.
3. Stick to your routines – Keep your old hobbies and continue your regular coffee dates with friends. Stick to your activities that connect you to your previous life.
4. Find the things you like about your new environment – Find new adventures and new activities that interest you.
5. Stay active – There will be many options for exercise in your new senior living community. Take advantage of them.
6. Maintain relationships – Invite your friends and family over or meet up with them. Pick up right where you left off before your move.
7. Personalize your space – Make it feel like home by choosing to bring meaningful possessions.
8. Find new friends – Put forth effort to meet new people and engage with other residents.
9. Get involved – Try out many different activities or classes to find new hobbies and meet other people.
10. Reach out – If you are having trouble adjusting to your new life, reach out to staff members who are trained to help you through this transition.

How Family Can Help

It can take the entire family to help a senior loved one adjust emotionally to this new life. The biggest role for your family is be supportive during the process and understand their loved one will have many challenges they feel they need to overcome. These include¹:

• Feelings of abandonment
• A perceived loss of independence
• Worried about adjusting to a new routine
• Going through the difficulty of downsizing

In order to work through these feelings and move on to a happy life in a new community, there are several steps your family can take to ease this transition:

• Acknowledge a sense of loss to your old life and help focus on the upside of moving.
• Family members should lend a hand and assist with the downsizing process.
• Family and friends should encourage meeting new people and joining new activities.
• Give space to settle in and explore the new surroundings.
• While giving space, be sure to keep in touch by visiting and showing that the relationship hasn’t changed.
• Family shouldn’t feel guilty, but instead should remember how much better the quality of life will be in this new home.

Enjoy Freedom at Advent Christian Village

Making the move to a senior living community can help you stay self-sufficient even longer in a secure and supportive environment. Advent Christian Village offers many vibrant living options for your independent living needs and beyond. Contact us today for more information and visit our country setting in North Florida.

References:

1. Secrets to Easing the Transition to Assisted Living. www.assistedliving.com. (accessed Jan 28 2019).