If your elderly loved one lives in an assisted living facility, visiting is surely the most important way to stay in touch. While spending time at the facility, in your loved one’s room, in the common area or in the park is great, there are many other enjoyable ways to spend quality time together – here are some ideas from Castle Rock Senior Living care givers.
Bring Visitors with You
Many people in assisted living feel isolated and lonely, even if they get occasional visits from family members. Feeling more connected to their loved ones eases that loneliness, so transform your next visit into a small family reunion by bringing along other family members that might make your elderly loved one feel important. Arranging for video chats with relatives who live far away might also make your elderly loved one happy.
One of the problems commonly encountered by people visiting relatives in assistant living is that they don’t know what to say and what to talk about during their visits – bringing along children and teens might be a great way out of that issue and so is sharing some old or current family photos with your loved one.
Have a Meal or Snack Together
If the condition of your loved one allows, you might try to arrange for a meal outside the care facility. You can take your relative to a nearby restaurant or, even better, if the person you are visiting had a favorite eating place in the area, you can visit that place to bring back memories.
Go on a Short Outing
If your loved one’s health permits, visiting a nearby spot of interest or a place that your relative liked, such as a lake or a park, is also a great way to spend some quality time together and to bring in some variety. Don’t pick a place that requires good physical condition to visit – not being able to cover the planned distance walking might be frustrating and exhaustion can be harmful for the elderly.
Read Aloud
Reading aloud is an especially great activity if your elderly loved one is bedridden or is vision-impaired. It is a great way to entertain your relative while also expressing how much you care without having to find something to talk about.
Watching Your Loved One’s Favorite Show Together
Watching TV together is a common pastime with friends and family, so why not try it with your elderly loved one? If there is a TV in your relative’s room in the care facility, you might want to consider getting a DVD player and some movies that your relative likes or liked – watching those old movies together is another great way to spend time together in a way that is relaxing and enjoyable involved, even if conversation is difficult to make.
Play A Game
Chess, poker, bridge or other games are not only great forms of entertainment – they are also excellent for improving alertness, focus and other mental and cognitive skills. If your elderly relative used to have a passion for a game, bring along a board and play that game together.