Helping Your Loved One Transition to Retirement Living

Is your loved one making the move to a retirement community like the Village at Germantown? Any move involves change, and no matter what stage of life someone is in, support from family and friends can go a long way in making the transition smoother. It’s important for your loved one to see his or her transition to a retirement community as a new life chapter, and there are several ways you can support that perspective.

Provide Reassurance During the Decision

When your loved one is making the decision to move to a retirement community, there is a lot you can do to reassure them that they are making the right choice. For instance, take them to visit where they will be living, to help them get acclimated to the place and the people before moving day arrives.

You can also reassure them by making a calendar of family visits so they know they will have familiar faces around during the transition. Most importantly, if they’re feeling anxious about the move, be a good listener as well as an encouraging voice while they express their feelings candidly.

Help Your Loved One Pack

Your loved one might need your physical help with the move as well, especially if they are downsizing from where they live now. Help them sort through their belongings and decide what they will continue using, what they will keep for sentimental reasons, and what they will no longer need in their new living situation that they can give to relatives or donate to a charitable organization. Making the move itself as stress free as possible will undoubtedly ease the transition overall.

Make it Feel Like Home

To emphasize that they are moving to their new home, make it feel like home. Help them emulate the atmosphere of their old home with similar decorations and possessions that have sentimental value. Include a family touch with framed photos and artwork from their grandchildren. Add seasonal cheer with different holiday-themed decorations throughout the year. With a brighter and happier living space to wake up to and come home to each day, they are bound to feel more positive about their transition to a retirement community.

Stay in Touch

Getting into a routine of regular visits and outings, scheduled around the times of day when your loved one feels best, can certainly help ease the transition with a sense of familiarity. If you don’t live nearby, try to make to time to talk on the phone, video chat, send emails that keep them updated on your family, or send surprise snail mail. Regular contact can provide an avenue for them to talk about and celebrate their daily successes as well as lift their spirits during harder times.

While staying involved in your loved one’s life, it’s also important to encourage them to get involved in their new community. Here at the Village at Germantown, there are ample opportunities for your loved one to make new friends and stay active both physically and emotionally in whatever passions they already have.

If they tended a garden at their old home, encourage them to take up a tomato plot in our community’s garden. If they used to exercise every morning before work, suggest to them some of our fun fitness classes, like water aerobics or line dancing. If they were active in their neighborhood association or on a school board, help them consider serving on a resident council committee, organizing a community service effort, or volunteering with the Sunshine Group in Health Care.

Calling The Village at Germantown Home

When they are all moved in, feeling comfortable in their new living space, and enjoying continued communication with family while building relationships in their new community, they will officially be calling The Village at Germantown home. If they waver during the decision stage or get nervous on moving day, your encouragement throughout the process is what helps them bridge the gap from one life chapter to another.

You likely know from your own experiences that transitions are easier when you feel supported while you’re making changes and moving forward in your life. The move to a retirement community is no different, and we are eager to join you in transitioning your loved one into what we know to be a healthy and fulfilling retirement lifestyle here at the Village at Germantown.

Feel free to reach out to us any time for more information on how your loved one can make the Village at Germantown their new home. We hope to meet you and your loved one on a visit very soon!