Social interaction is one of the advantages of moving your older loved ones to an assisted living near Suches, GA. However, it can become difficult for them if the older adult is an introvert.
For some introverts, the fear of losing their privacy or having to interact with other people discourages them from moving to assisted living centers. These few steps will offer how you can help your shy loved ones:
Scheduled Visits from Loved Ones and Friends Must Be Encouraged
Almost all shy people are comfortable around those who they love. This is not different for older adults, so ensure family visitation is a priority if they are just trying to settle down in a community.
Plan frequent visits to the community, as this will help your older loved ones feel comfortable. This is because they are assured that members of their family are still around them.
Create a Comfortable Environment for Your Older Loved Ones
Once your older loved ones become comfortable, they will no longer feel shy. The best way to help them is to create a comfortable environment for them. What do they love to do? What are those things they hate doing? Answering these questions will help you do things that will make them comfortable.
If they hate noise, ensure the environment is noise-free. However if your older loved ones like listening to songs, then play their favorite music to help them feel comfortable.
In addition, be an active listener while talking to them, and observe their body language to understand what going on in their mind.
Variety of Dining Options
One major thing your loved ones face is not being able to express their concerns. So they shy away from things that may be out of their will. This includes eating, your elderly loved ones might be afraid of not being able to choose what to eat. Also, they might fear eating every day with a group of people without any privacy.
You need to assure them that most assisted living communities offer a flexible dining option. There are grab-and-go options that allow residents to have their meals in their personal space.
Respecting Privacy During Housekeeping and Maintenance
Privacy is important to an introvert, an older loved one might view assisted living community as a place where privacy is not respected. Since there will be assistance with daily activities, older adults might think that their privacy will be greatly compromised.
However, you need to let them know that housekeepers don’t deliver services without respecting their privacy. They will never appear in their personal space unannounced. Unless there is an emergency, housekeeping and maintenance are scheduled.
Liberty to Participate in Activities and Program
There are varieties of activities and events in an assisted living center. The activities are created differently to suit the individual needs of the resident. Irrespective of the number of activities available, older adults must be able to choose what interests them most. They must not be forced to participate in any activity they do not want to do.
