Transitioning to an assistant living facility might be scary for anyone who has been living an independent life in their own home for years. Fortunately, there are several ways to help your elderly loved one get used to the new environment and to the new rules. Here are some tips:

• Help during the preparation phase – the move to the new place should not be a very sudden event. It is a good idea to allow your elderly loved one sufficient time to get used to the idea of moving and to start packing and preparing for the move slowly, one step at a time.
• Visits to the facility – the assisted living retirement communities in Denver usually allow future residents to come and visit whenever they want before they move in, that way your loved one can familiarize themselves with the new environment. The option to communicate with the members of the medical staff as well as with the other residents can help your loved one get used to the idea of the move and after the move takes place, the new environment is no longer unfamiliar.
• Visit your loved one whenever you can after the move – contact with a family member is very important in the adjustment period, right after the move. Frequent visits from you will make it easier for your parent to get used to the new environment and will eliminate fears of abandonment.