The role of staff in new resident adjustment
The assisted living staff plays a very important role in the new resident’s adjustment. In many facilities, staff members will have individual meetings with the new resident to explain their particular role in the facility and what that means to the resident. In some facilities, new resident orientations are held to help the resident get acquainted with their new home. They combine staff and long-time resident expertise and provide valuable information to the new resident.
Staff also makes a new building to feel like home to the new resident. Peter Hendrickson stresses the importance of doing so. “I make a conscious effort to have personal encounters with new residents every day. A handshake, a simple ‘how are you’ and asking open-ended questions can make all the difference. It can help the new resident feel safe, secure and at home,” he says. Although information is important in the transition to assisted living, helping the new resident feel at home is really the only way to ensure a successful adjustment.
Even though the transition into assisted living can be tough, the outlook is positive. Hendrickson notes a 98% success rate at his facility, and many other facilities have similar rates.
Terracina Grand, managed by the Goodman Group, is a senior living community in Naples, Florida. Terracina Grand features continuing care, including independent living, assisted living and memory care.
For more information, visit http://www.terracinagrand.com/