Make Your Visits with a Loved One in Assisted Living Meaningful

Experts say that one of the most important things you can do for a parent or another loved one in an assisted living community is to commit to visiting on a regular basis.  We are not suggesting every day or even every other day, in fact you need to give your loved one time to bond with those in their community, but rather to be consistent with your visits.  

If you worry about what you will talk about or do during your visits, A Place for Mom, the largest assisted living referral service, has some tips to help you spend meaningful time together.  One of their suggestions is to do a craft project together. You will find all kinds of ideas on the Internet and can use upcoming holidays for appropriately themed projects.    Scrapbooking is another idea and will give your parent the chance to reminisce about the past and to share old family stories. Pick up scrapbooking supplies at your local craft store and bring along plenty of photos (be sure to get some of your newer digital photos printed out) to use in the book.  

Visits to your loved one can be as simply as scheduling the time to coincide with a favorite TV show both you and your parent love to watch.  Not only can you enjoy the show together but then discuss the twists and turns that the program is taking afterward. The same can be said for starting a book club, and if your parent’s eyesight makes reading difficult, you can read a chapter or two and then talk about the story.   If family members live far away, you could help them set up a video chat as many seniors are not comfortable with the technology to do it themselves. Other suggestions include playing cards or board games, having a picnic on the grounds of the assisted living community, and creating a playlist of favorite tunes and then listen to it together.   

The MorningStar of Rio Rancho team is excited as we are busy getting our beautiful new community ready to welcome our first residents.  As one of the area’s premier assisted living facilities, we are set on 5.5 acres at the northwest corner of Westside Boulevard and Golf Course Road.  We encourage you to visit our website or to stop by our onsite Information Center to learn more. Our community will offer 51 private assisted living suites and 26 secure suites devoted the care of those with Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases.   

At MorningStar of Rio Rancho, we are proud to offer the best senior living with our distinct mission statement - “to honor, to value, to invest.”  With a foundation built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve, we create a true home for residents in a beautiful setting.  Opening shortly, we invite you to visit our Information Center to learn more about the finest senior housing in Rio Rancho, NM.

Source: .aplaceformom.com/blog/assisted-living-activities-for-your-next-visit/