Serie will Lake eon pucti fc. Ue VII apie on vi avclig@l -ace cach] nets “an hong] edt st Portal! eggSs eo seya aeaA ex. nese ja2‘in a at | ea ty Neale ba an famed “soy acne me ua atGs of ae one *a OF OLDER AMERICANS Easingthe Transition to Assisted Living by Dr. Judy Kariansky (NAPSA)—Asmanyparentsage, they may no longerentirely selfsufficient, and need to move to assisted living facilities. Many misperceptions persist about thesefacilities. But today they are morelike resorts than nursing homes. Nursing homes are designed to supervise older adults unable to care for themselves, where- as assisted living facilities offer help with daily activities, but give residents as much independence as they want. Preparing To Move In Despite the comforts afforded by assisted living, varied feelings arise when an older person moves into a facility. By this time in their life, adults usually have set patterns in their daily activities and are accustomed to ingselfsufficient. It is natural to feel frustrated, helpless or even angry at having to leave your home. Loved ones also have stressful reactions to the move, which can strain family relationships at a Dr. Judy time when open communication is extremely important. Counteract these negative feelings with positive emotions. Realize that you’re doing the st for the whole family, and the movewill likely offer a tter situationforall. T have learned through my work that people are extremelyresilient. Oncetheinitial shock of a moveis over, adults often come to enjoy their new living arrangement. Handling Lingering Doubts If residentsstill cannot overcome their sadness, or if they experience deeper depression, treatments and services are available that can help. The physical and emotional symptoms of clinical depression range from extreme sadnessto fatigue, all of which are treatable by therapy and medication. The most important way to help ease the transition from independenceto assisted living is by open communication, so it’s important to discuss any concerns that you may have about your new living situation. People are social ings who need friends and family to survive. A supportive social network comes more important as we grow older. Living in an assisted living facility provides a readily available social network with plenty of opportunities for a happy retirement. To read other articles by Dr. Judy, visit www.matureamerica.org/ just_for_women.
