Things to Consider When Visiting a Loved One in Senior Living

Especially during the holiday season, many of us wish to brighten the day for a loved one in assisted living by letting them know them are very special to us.  To help make our visit more meaningful, experts provide some tips to keep in mind when we visit. 

You may want to plan in advance an activity your loved one would enjoy doing with you during your visit.  Examples include bringing along a puzzle to work on, a Scrabble board or a trivia game. You could get prints of current photos of the family made to add to an album or to start a new one.  If they are a music lover, bring some new music to enjoy together. If they love listening to stories, get an audiobook to listen to or buy a favorite family movie to watch together. If they love sending greeting cards to family and friends, buy a box of cards and help them get them ready to mail.   If they love to be pampered, bring along the supplies to give them a manicure.  

If the weather is cooperative, take advantage of the community’s outdoor area to soak up the sun or take your loved one to a local park and plan to share a simple meal of sandwiches and a drink.  Bringing the kids along automatically provides a more cheerful energy and will even give the resident some bragging rights long after the grandkids have gone home. However do keep in mind that too many visitors at a time can be hectic and it may be better to spread out the visits.   

If you do want to bring gifts, remember the person most likely does not have a lot of extra room for anything too big.  Gifts of food are generally welcomed and can be shared with others in the community. Other tips include not visiting when you are ill, and be sure to wash your hands when you first come in to avoid spreading germs.  

At the MorningStar of Santa Fe assisted living and memory care community, we provide lots of activities and programs for our residents but we know they always look forward to seeing their family.  Please visit our website to learn more about our community, our amenities and care services. 

MorningStar of Santa Fe offers the very best in senior living with our distinct mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest.”  Our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve to create a true “home” for residents.  Please contact us for more details on the finest senior living in Santa Fe, NM.