For more information on the author Calusa Harbour - Five Star Senior Living, CLICK HERE.When a parent has Alzheimer's or another type of dementia, adult children may struggle to keep them safe and engaged at home. It is a difficult condition to navigate, especially if family members work outside the home. From nutritional struggles to concerns about wandering, caring for a loved one with dementia can be all-consuming. It sometimes leads families to explore memory care assisted living programs in hopes of improving the seniors quality of life and their safety.A specialty dementia care program, like the Bridge to Rediscovery at Five Star, meets the residents where they are looking at their current abilities to create a lifestyle that supports engagement so that they can enjoy their best quality of life. These programs also provide a secure environment that supports freedom while reducing the risk of wandering.But for many adult children, the idea of moving a parent with memory loss to an assisted living community can create stress and anxiety. It can also lead loved ones to feel guilty about their inability to manage a parents care at home.How can you help a senior loved one with dementia successfully transition to a new environment? We have some tips you might find useful.4 Tips for Moving a Parent with DementiaMake it familiar: For people with memory loss, being surrounded by familiar things helps to decrease their stress and anxiety. This becomes more difficult to do as the dementia progresses, so it takes thoughtful planning. Think about the items your parent uses and touches most often. Maybe its a throw they cover up with in their favorite chair. Or it could be a cherished photo from their wedding day. Try to recreate their home environment in their new assisted living apartment or suite. Hang their bathrobe up in a place they immediately notice it. Cover their bed with a quilt or comforter they might recognize. Place family photos all around the apartment before they arrive. Whatever belongings signal home to your parent are important to incorporate into their new space. One of the signatures of Five Stars Bridge to Rediscovery Memory Care program is the keepsake box that includes special mementos. Our community team will teach you how to create one for your loved one.Moving time matters: Adults with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia usually have good and bad times of day. While the disease can be unpredictable, it will help to schedule a move to coincide with their best time of day. For many seniors with dementia, morning is the easiest time, especially if they experience sundowners syndrome. If possible, have a relocation company or loved ones move belongings while you keep your parent occupied. Once the new apartment is settled, you can introduce them to their new residence. We have shadow boxes displaying our residents pictures and item of personal interest by the entrance to their residence to make it easy to locate and to give a reassuring feeling of belonging.Create a reminiscence board: When a senior has dementia, they may have difficulty with verbal skills. This makes it more challenging for the staff to get to know them. You can help by creating a reminiscence board or scrapbook with photos of family members along with names and descriptions. Share it with the team members ahead of time so they can look it over before your parents arrival. Once they move in, you can keep it in a prominent place in the apartment to share with staff and visitors. Our Bridge to Rediscovery neighborhoods help the family to complete a detailed life narrative. We learn all about each individuals story, their career, their hobbies, their like and dislikes and more. This helps make the transition much more comfortable for everyone.Music as therapy: Many people find the healing harmonies of music to be beneficial. This is true for adults with dementia, too. During this time of transition, play some of their favorite music softly in the background. This can help decrease the anxiety your loved one is likely feeling and unable to verbalize. Set up a small CD player with a few of their favorite musicians. Ask the care team to turn it on when you cant be there.When to Make a Transition to Dementia CareFinally, if you are wondering how to tell if it is time for your parent to move to a memory care community, we have a resource that can help you decide. Click on the link above to speak to someone about making a move to dementia care assisted living.

For more information on the author Calusa Harbour - Five Star Senior Living, CLICK HERE.STILL THEY FIGHT. A REVIEWER PRAISES FIVE STAR SAFETY AND RESILIENCY.What is caregiver fatigue?If you provide care for an aging adult, chances are you've experienced caregiver fatigue at some point. Caregiver fatigue, also known as caregiver burnout, has been on the rise during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its officially defined as a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion.Here's the thing: Caregiver fatigue affects not only family caregivers but professional caregivers as well. And that includes the incredible teams of caregivers working in our Five Star communities. At Five Star, we know that COVID-19 has presented challenges for our residents and families. But we also recognize that the pandemic has asked a lot of our own team members, from the sales counselor you may first encounter to the housekeeper who tidies up your apartment week after week. And through it all, our team members have gone above and beyond to give our residents a safe and happy community living experience despite the pandemic restrictions placed upon us all.That is why we could not be prouder of this recent post by a reviewer who left a five-star rating for Five Star Residences of Noblesville, Indiana in reference to our own caregivers:How do you thank the people who have struggled and fought for more than eight months to keep COVID away from their residents? Exhaustion surely has set in, but still they fight to protect the most vulnerable.What;s especially gratifying is the writers recognition of both our relentless commitment to resident safety we do see ourselves as protecting those at higher risk of COVID and the heroism of our team members in the face of challenging conditions. Its a testament to our no-nonsense, no-compromise COVID safety precautions and the quality of our entire Five Star team. Were not just proud of this review. Were proud of them.How to prevent caregiver fatigueWhat about you? Do you suffer from caregiver fatigue? Here are some quick tips to keep in mind:Adjust your expectations to prevent guilty feelings. Remember that no one person can do it all.Do not  go it alone. Reach out to a therapist or other helping professional to take good care of yourself.Use communication apps like CaringBridge and My Life Line to centralize updates on your loved one.Check your town or city web site for no- or low-cost community resources, such as meals-on-wheels, to shorten your to-do list.Find some time for you. Give yourself a regular break you can look forward to.Five Star Senior Living is one of the nations leading providers of respite. With over 260 communities across the country, chances are there's a respite program near you. Click the link above for more information.