If you have a parent who is living in a Lakewood assisted living facility or that you are considering placing in an assisted living facility, you may be wondering, how often should I visit my parent while they’re in an assisted living facility? There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this important question. It can depend on many different factors related to your parent and your family situation.

Regular Visitation

Your parent living in an assisted living facility can greatly benefit from regular visits from you or other family members. At many living facilities around the state of Colorado, family members are more than welcome to visit and dine with their loved ones. These visits can strengthen the connection between parent and child during this potentially lonely period of life. Regular visitation can provide several benefits to your parents.

  • Physical health. There are several studies that link physical health to social interaction. Social interaction between parents and adult children can improve the parent’s immune system and also reduce the possibility of illness.
  • Emotional health. Visiting your parents regularly can provide the needed emotional support for your parent. If your parent is naturally a quiet person who isn’t comfortable opening up to new people, you may be the familiar face that they long for. Assisted living facilities work diligently to ensure that residents are not suffering from any form of depression or loneliness. However, there is no substitute for interaction between loved ones.
  • Cognitive stimulation. During visits, it can be important to have meaningful and impactful conversations with your parent. Having these types of conversations and activities can go a long way toward maintaining your parent’s mental sharpness. There are studies that show that cognitive stimulation created from meaningful conversations can delay the onset of memory loss, such as dementia.

What to Do During Visits

Regardless of how frequently you are able to visit your loved one, it is important that each visit is meaningful. During your visit, you should try to:

  • Have engaging conversations. Engaging in conversations can help you to remain emotionally connected to your parent.
  • Share meals. Sharing meals is an excellent opportunity to sit down and spend much-needed quality time with your loved one.
  • Participate in interactive activities. Activities such as playing games, reading together, or going on walks can help create fond memories between you and your parent in their new home.

FAQs

Q: How Often Do You Need to Visit Your Parents in a Care Home?

A: The frequency in which you should visit your parents in a care home will vary on a case-by-case basis. There is a balance between visiting your parents too much and not enough. The most important thing is that your parents feel like they are loved and supported. It is nice for them to know that you are just a phone call away. This type of proximity can help your parents relax in their new home. It may also be helpful to ask them how frequently they would like to be visited.

Q: How Long Does it Take an Elderly Person to Adjust to Assisted Living?

A: The amount of time it takes for an elderly person to adjust to assisted living depends on many factors. The senior’s comfort, the location of the assisted living facility, emotional stability, and the level of support can all affect the length of time required for the elderly person to adjust to the living facility. It is important that during this process, your parent feels supported and cared for. Choosing the right facility is an important decision.

Q: How Long Does the Average Person Live in Assisted Living?

A: Most people live in assisted living for between two and three years. This timeline can vary depending on specific circumstances related to your parent and the facility. The resident’s length of stay can vary depending on their age and health status. Often, residents move out of an assisted living facility because they move into a more permanent type of care facility, such as a nursing home or memory care facility. Depending on their health, a nursing home may be a better option for them.

Q: Are We Obligated to Care for Elderly Parents?

A: Adult children are not obligated to care for their elderly parents. Although it may feel ethically and morally like the right thing to do, there are no legal obligations that state that the child has to become the primary caregiver of the parent. If you are an adult child who feels like you cannot provide the support necessary for your parent, you should seriously consider an assisted living facility.

Q: How Important Are Visits?

A: Visits are vitally important to your parent’s health and well-being. By visiting your loved one, you can check on their physical and mental health. It is also important to ensure that their needs are being met and that they are happy in their home. Seeing a familiar face can go a long way toward the health and happiness of the resident. In an ideal scenario, your parent will make many new friends in an assisted living facility, and you will be a welcome face to come visit.

Our Trustworthy Services

If you have a parent who is living in an assisted living facility, it is important that you remain conscious of how often you visit them. Visitation is an important part of your loved one’s well-being while in a living facility. Oftentimes, when seniors agree to move into an assisted living facility, they do so with the understanding that they will be visited by their loved ones. It’s important that you try to visit them.

We also understand that life gets busy, and there are times when you may not be able to visit your parent as much as you’d like. That is why it is so important that you find the right living facility for your loved one. The staff at Rocky Mountain Assisted Living understands the difficult dynamic that can arise between adult children and their elderly parents. Our staff has solutions in place to accommodate you and your loved ones with the care needed. Contact us today to learn more.