Moving to an assisted living facility comes with many perks, including assistance with day-to-day tasks, increased safety and security, and the opportunity to socialize with other seniors, which is very important in helping seniors stay active physically, mentally and emotionally.

 

In This Assisted Living Article:

The Importance of Social Interactions to Ease the Transition
Benefits of Making New Friends in An Assisted Living
Ways To Make New Friends in An Assisted Living Community

 

Seniors often find that moving to an assisted living community gives them more time to do things that they really enjoy since they can rely on assistance with activities of daily living like preparing meals, arranging transportation for appointments, maintaining their living space and other day to day tasks. However, even though transitioning to an assisted living community is most often a positive change, as a senior, changes can be very stressful.

As seniors acclimate to their new environments and adjust to their new schedules, they may find it difficult to cope with transitioning to their new home, especially if they are now living farther away from friends and family members.

 

Importance of Social Interactions to Ease the Assisted Living Transition

One of the most effective ways to ease the assisted living transition is to socialize with other assisted living residents and make new friends.

During the assisted living transition, it is normal for seniors to go through a grieving period as they can be emotional about the home, family, friends or items that they have left behind. Seniors are sometimes hesitant to discuss their feelings with family and friends because of fear that their family and friends will not completely understand what they are going through emotionally. The senior’s family and friends might not be able to relate to the emotions that may come up during the assisted living transition because they have not experienced it yet.

Making new friends and talking to other assisted living residents will make it easier for the new senior resident to adjust. This is true because the senior will discover that the other senior residents are able to relate to his or her situation because majority of the residents felt the same way when they first arrived. Current residents who have been through the same situation can provide much-needed social and emotional support that will make the assisted living transition smoother. Thus, allowing new residents to adjust more quickly.

 

Benefits of Making New Friends in An Assisted Living Community

An additional benefit of making new friendships early on is having the opportunity to benefit from the knowledge and experience of residents who are already familiar with the assisted living lifestyle. Seasoned residents will be able to provide useful information about how things work in that particular assisted living community, including the most fun activities, most helpful and friendliest staff members and caregivers, and residents who share the same hobbies and interests as the new resident.

Most importantly, forming social bonds and building friendships with other senior residents can help the new assisted living resident avoid the isolation and depression that can sometimes occur after transitioning to assisted living. Daily interactions are important for mental and emotional health, and it is quite common that even the most well-meaning old friends and family members may not be able to visit often enough to meet this need.

 

How To Make New Friends In The Assisted Living Facility

Talking to the other residents, joining organized activities and attending social events in the assisted living community would be a great way to meet other residents. Whether it is a yoga class, a book club or a shopping excursion, taking part in scheduled activities is an ideal way to meet residents with shared interests and hobbies. It is helpful to remember that every resident in the facility was once a new resident too.  All of them have been through the same process like having to adjust to a new environment and socialize to establish relationships within the community.

Social connections play a vital role in a person’s mental and emotional health. Forming new friendships will make the assisted living transition easier, broaden the new arrival’s social circle, and provide the opportunity to find friends with whom seniors can share stories, attend social gatherings and continue to grow through new experiences.
 

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