Spending quality time with family is a favorite pastime for many older adults. If you’re a new senior living resident planning your first family visit, or an older adult considering a move to senior living, you may wonder how your new living environment will affect those precious moments with family.
At Canterbury Court, family visits in senior living are an everyday event, but summer is a particularly popular time for visits, especially for residents whose grandkids are out of school for the season.
To help make the most of the time with your family this summer (and beyond), our team has compiled some practical tips to help you create memorable experiences, manage expectations and make your visitors feel at home.
Senior Living Policies and Family-Friendly Amenities
Before making plans with your family, it’s a good idea to get familiar with the senior living guest policies in your community. For example, there may be expectations about signing in and out, and guests may be required to provide identification upon entering the community.
Also be sure to check whether your community allows open visits or has specific visiting hours and whether overnight visits are permitted. In addition, particularly in the aftermath of COVID-19, there may be protocols in place to protect residents’ health.
If you’re concerned about having enough space for everyone to visit comfortably, some senior living communities offer guest accommodations and private dining options, or your care team may be able to offer recommendations for hotels and restaurants nearby. It’s also a good idea to be aware of policies regarding guest use of the community amenities, such as the pool and fitness center, while they’re visiting.
Hosting Family as a Senior Living Resident
Once you have a good idea of the rules and options available to your guests, you can begin planning a visit. If you hosted guests frequently before moving into your senior living residence, hosting family in a retirement community will probably come naturally now, too. If not, you may benefit from a few recommendations:
- Consider your personal routine as well as the community’s general daily flow. Inviting guests to arrive during a less active timeframe may allow for a smoother welcome.
- Be honest about how long you’d like your family to stay, keeping in mind the activities and routines that you don’t want to miss.
- Tidy up your living space and remove clutter so it’s welcoming and inviting. If you’re short on seating, ask about temporarily borrowing some unused chairs from a common area.
- Think about how you’ll spend the time with your family, whether it’s staying within the community or venturing out to explore the surrounding area together.
- Be mindful of your neighbors and keep your reunion at a reasonable volume.
- Remember your loved ones are coming to see you. Save favorite TV programs and other distractions for later so you can focus on the quality time together.
Ideas for Entertaining All Ages
When you’re looking forward to family visits in senior living, you may find yourself looking for ideas to entertain your loved ones in this new setting. Fortunately, you have plenty of options, and remember, it’s the time together they’re likely to value more than any elaborate entertainment plan.
In addition to catching up and chatting, adult guests will likely enjoy a tour of all of your favorite spots within the community. They’re probably very interested in seeing how you spend your time and visiting some of the places you’ve been describing by phone. For example, at Canterbury Court, the Legacy Gardens wildlife sanctuary attracts many visiting families. It’s a great place to enjoy a picnic and let grandkids run off some energy.
Other activities with grandchildren in mind might include a visit to the community convenience store for a treat or a stop at the dog park, where they can watch the pooches play (just remember to exercise caution because not all dogs are kid-friendly, especially if they’re used to a more docile senior lifestyle).
Another popular amenity at Canterbury Court is the movie theater, where you can catch a film with your guests. Board games, craft projects and outings to nearby museums or shops are other ideas for building some structured activities into your visit.
Planning a Visit to Aging Parents
If you’ll be visiting aging parents this summer, you may be looking forward to the opportunity to see how your mom or dad is really doing these days — beyond what you learn from regular phone calls. Before you travel, consider these suggestions to make the visit both memorable and productive.
Balance memories with quality time in the present.
Reminiscing together is a wonderful way to bond and celebrate a lifetime of special moments. Making family visits in senior living may even give you a chance to do something you haven’t before: capture those memories so you can recall them years into the future. That might mean creating audio or video recordings of your parent relaying stories from the past, or simply taking notes so you have record of your family lore.
If you’re not sure where to start, flipping through old photo albums can unlock lots of memories. From a practical standpoint, it’s also a good opportunity for you to jot notes on the backs of photos or even digitize the images to preserve them. Another option is to bring a book with you that includes prompts to guide you with specific questions to get your parent talking about the good ol’ days.
While visiting the past may be an enjoyable way to pass the time, keep in mind that it’s also a good idea to dedicate a portion of your visit to the here and now. This is especially true if your parent is having difficulty adjusting to this new stage of life.
Plan to spend some time doing activities your parent enjoys. Ask for a tour of the community so you can see it through their eyes. Visit the places your parent frequents so you can see them in their element and reinforce the joy they’re discovering and the friends they’re making.
You might also tackle a project together, such as baking or preparing single-serve meals your parent can reheat on nights they feel like staying in.
Assess your parent’s mental and physical health.
Although the senior living community care team is monitoring your parent’s well-being, they may not be as tuned into changes that you notice easily. Family members play an important role in an older adult’s care because they have valuable history and perspective.
Some common changes that aren’t necessarily cause for immediate worry but warrant mentioning include weight changes, emerging balance or mobility problems, memory lapses and signs of emotional distress, such as depression or poor sleep patterns.
If you notice something that concerns you, talk with your parent about your observations, but also take your concerns to a member of the care team so you can work together to ensure your parent’s needs are met.
Plan to give your undivided attention.
In this digital age, it’s easy to be distracted, especially if you’re balancing professional obligations during your trip. If it’s possible, put your phone away, at least for a while, so your full focus is on your parent. Being present is a gift they’ll see and feel, and it gives you the chance to engage more fully and create memories you’ll treasure for years to come.
In a related vein, while you may have some business to tend to, such as doctor’s appointments or other important tasks, be sure to make time during your visit for some uninterrupted social time together.
Family-Friendly Community in Atlanta
If you’re considering a move to senior living and a family-friendly setting is a priority, you may be interested in exploring the amenities designed with residents’ guests in mind at Canterbury Court. Contact our team to schedule a tour and learn more.