Your profile says your Dad has anxiety so I think you should talk to his doctor to address this before the transition (meds may help and the facility will probably go that route eventually, anyway). As for finding words to help him understand...if he needs MC no types or amounts of words will guarantee it goes "smoothly". In fact, the facility may ask that you not visit or contact him for 2 weeks so he can settle in. If this is the case, please trust the facility as they do this all the time. With memory issues every day is Groundhog's Day, right? Explaining and re-explaining his situation will be upsetting to him and exhausting for you. You will do and say whatever it takes to keep his mind in a calm state because he won't be able to bring it about himself. This may require "therapeutic fibs" when you visit and he asks "why am I here" or "when can I leave". When my MIL, in LTC for mobility and memory problems, asks those questions we tell her that she needs to be able to do her ADLs so that her doctor can release her -- and of course this would require PT (which she adamantly refuses) and other progress that won't come about. This answer doesn't make her "happy" but it does satisfy her need for an understandable and acceptable one, and allows us to not be the "bad guys" keeping her hostage in the facility where she's getting excellent care.
Everything about dementia is hard, and wish you as smooth a transition as is realistic in your circumstances. May you receive peace in your heart!
There really are not any words to help him; he is unable to understand. You cannot reason with someone with dementia. Don't continually remind him, it will only raise his anxiety.
And don't give yourself a guilt trip. You have done your best to get him the care he needs.
Everything about dementia is hard, and wish you as smooth a transition as is realistic in your circumstances. May you receive peace in your heart!
And don't give yourself a guilt trip. You have done your best to get him the care he needs.