Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or Dementia can be overwhelming, and trusting your loved one’s care to someone else can be even more difficult. Staying in touch and involved with your loved one and your chosen memory care provider can help ensure all needs are being met and they’re in good, caring hands!

There are simple things you can do to ensure your loved one’s assisted living and memory care needs are met so they can thrive in their new environment: 

Prepare the care provider – A dedicated caregiver doesn’t just treat a resident, they care for the person as a whole. You can help your selected provider to do this by making them familiar with your loved one. One of the best ways to do this is to have a list or outline of highlights  like family stories, hobbies, personal likes and dislikes, daily routines and more. This is something your loved one and the entire family can get involved with –  and it’s never too early to start so you have something wonderful to start with when the time comes.

Stay in touch with your loved one and the care provider. Good communication increases the many benefits of care. By regularly checking in, it helps both you, your loved one and the caregiver to openly discuss and address any concerns that arise in a more timely manner, before they’re forgotten/overlooked or even worsen over time. Keeping in touch also can provide peace of mind when things are moving along smoothly. 

Visit regularly – Familiar, smiling faces benefits everyone! By visiting your family member in their new environment you can help put them at ease, knowing they’re still a big part of your life. Ask them to tell you about the community, new friends they’ve made, daily activities, meals and more. It’s also a good idea to invite other family members to schedule their own one-on-one time.

If you aren’t sure how frequently you should visit, just ask the senior living home’s team. Just like you, they want what’s best for your loved one and will be able to give you a good idea of when and how to interact.

Calls and visits don’t have to be long, but frequent communication will help to remind them that you’re thinking of them… and that’s a wonderful feeling!