There comes a time in many people's lives when it's necessary to receive assisted living. There's no shame in this, but it can be a hard adaption for many people. This is especially true if your parent is, for some reason, struggling to socialize. You have to do what you can to integrate them into this new living environment to ensure a happy life.
Socialization Is Key To Elder Health
People are, by nature, social creatures, and as we age, the need for socialization is more important than ever. Elderly people often feel a great deal of stress due to decreasing physical and mental skills. This can make them feel lonely, unhappy, isolated, and depressed.
Socializing with friends and family, especially people in their new assisted living environment, is crucial to them living a happy and constructive life. However, your parent may be resisting these socialization attempts in a way that may make life more difficult for them.
Why Some Elderly People Struggle To Achieve That Balance
Your parent isn't being stubborn just to be stubborn. When an elderly person reaches the point where they need assisted living, they may have watched many loved ones pass away and may feel a sense of depression. In their depression, they may push people away.
Understanding this is important to helping your parent break through it. Loneliness and depression are hard forces to defeat and they only get worse if your parent keeps fighting away socialization attempts. That's why you need to take an active role in their care in this way.
Participating In Their Socialization
Breaking through your parent's isolation and depression often requires adapting yourself to a new relationship dynamic. Adult children should no longer think of their parents as flawless people, but should treat them as fellow adults and as if they are friends. There are several reasons for this. It will help you open up to your parent as a person and will make them accept you as an equal.
Once you've reached that point, you should visit with them regularly at their assisted living center and encourage them to participate in socialization games. Having someone they trust with them is likely to open them up to new people and make it easier for them to fit in their new environment.
By following this simple process, you help your parent or parents adapt to a living situation which can be difficult. It may provide them with more pleasure in the twilight of their years and may even give them the strength they need to add a few years to their lives.
