Maintaining Family Bonds with a Loved One in Assisted Living

At Coventry House Assisted Living, we’re dedicated to providing a safe, nurturing environment for our clients. Maintaining bonds with family and friends can help your loved one feel cared for and connected. Our caring staff offers assisted living services in eastern Washington that support our clients’ emotional health and help families navigate changes and challenges. These tips for sustaining bonds with family in assisted living can help make relationships stronger and more beneficial for everyone involved.

Regular Communication

Consistent communication with a family member in assisted living is critical to maintaining your relationship with them. It can be more challenging if you don’t live in the area, but regular video chats, phone calls, and text messages can make your loved one feel involved in your life and strengthen emotional bonds.

Whether it’s a daily text or phone call, a weekly visit, or monthly gatherings with extended family, consistent communication can help your loved one in assisted living feel more secure. Routine check-ins offer reassurance to your loved one that they are not forgotten. Distance doesn’t have to be a hurdle anymore – FaceTime, Zoom, Skype, and other video conferencing platforms make it easy to connect and combat feelings of isolation.

Although snail mail is less common today, there’s nothing like receiving a handwritten letter or card. A piece of mail is a tangible, comforting reminder that you love and care about your family member.

Visit Frequently

Although frequent communication is vital, nothing can replace face-to-face interactions. If you live in eastern Washington, visiting your family members in assisted living as often as possible is the best way to maintain bonds.

Making a regular visiting schedule provides them with something to look forward to and helps combat feelings of loneliness and abandonment. When you spend time together, find fun activities that your loved one enjoys. For example, if they love playing cards or a particular board game, bring it with you and play it with them while you’re there. Engaging in fun activities can create fond memories for both of you and shows that you care about what they like to do.

Celebrating birthdays, holidays, and anniversaries provides a sense of continuity with family traditions and breaks up their routine. Bringing loved ones together for these occasions reinforces bonds and lets them know that they’re still an integral part of family celebrations and traditions.

Involve Extended Family Members

It’s great to go see your mom or dad daily or weekly, but it’s also important to encourage other family members to visit. Grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and family friends provide variety that can keep your loved one engaged and connected. Children often bring joy to everyone in an assisted living community, and their youthful energy can be a positive distraction from the same old routine. Utilizing amenities like our private dining room for gatherings makes it easy to bring the whole family together for special occasions.

Help Them Create a Familiar Environment

Moving into an assisted living community is a big adjustment. Helping your loved one create a living space that feels like home can make them feel comfortable and connected to family. Personal items like photos of family members, mementos, favorite books, blankets, and other things they like can serve as visual reminders of the people who love them and provide comfort.

Be Their Advocate

Staying involved in your family member’s care in assisted living reinforces your bond and ensures they are getting what they need. Attending care planning meetings, being involved in health care decisions, going to doctor’s appointments, and paying attention to their emotional and mental health shows that you’re committed to helping them receive the best care possible. It can also help make their preferences and needs known.

Respect Their Independence

Assisted living is designed to enable our clients to have a degree of autonomy. Although staying involved and connected is crucial, respecting their desire for independence and privacy fosters trust and mutual respect. Make sure to align your visits and check-ins so they fit into your loved one’s assisted living routine. Encourage them to make new friends and participate in activities, while letting them know you’re always there for them. Being present but respectful of their autonomy can help to ensure your loved one feels valued and loved, provides comfort and stability, and helps strengthen family bonds.

Contact Us to Learn More about Assisted Living in Eastern Washington

At Coventry House Assisted Living, we understand the importance of maintaining strong family bonds with loved ones in assisted living. For more information, contact us or call us at 509-488-1000.