For aging seniors in need of long-term care, family involvement can make an incredible difference in their progress and overall view of care. Having a trusted loved one in their corner to help make decisions, visit them, and make them feel connected to their new home can help them progress with their health goals and build a positive relationship with their new environment. In recent years, there has been a significant shift of family members taking on more extensive care-giving roles, and we have seen that the more involved family members are, the more their loved one’s benefit.
Additional Patient Advocates
Having family members involved in long-term care is incredibly beneficial to their loved one as they will have additional advocates who have a deep understanding of their needs. Family members are incredible tools for monitoring changes and advocating for their loved ones when they notice a change in behavior, or when their loved one shares something with them that they might not share with others. Family members can help their loved ones feel more comfortable and confident in expressing their honest feelings, and can help create a better connection between them and their caregiving team.
Psychological Benefits
Family involvement also plays a significant role in the mental and physical health of patients. Seniors in general, and those who suffer from chronic conditions or diseases like Alzheimer’s or Dementia, are more susceptible to depression and loneliness; and having familiar faces around will help them in socializing, boosting their mood and attitude, and can encourage them to want to continue to improve their health. Visits from family members have shown to significantly improve emotional well-being of residents.
Comfort and Familiarity
Making the decision to move to a long-term care facility is a significant change in the lives of your loved ones. Moving out of their home, a place they have come to draw comfort from, can be incredibly drastic and uncomfortable. Having family members continue to be involved in their lives and in their care can bring much needed comfort and familiarity to residents. It can also help ease to ease the initial transition and allow them to build a positive relationship with their new home and living situation.
Learn More About Our Long-Term Care Facility!
At Shaker Place, we highly encourage and welcome family involvement for our residents! We believe that engagement and socialization is key to our residents meeting their goals and feeling positive and happy at Shaker Place. Our mission is to create an environment where your loved one gets the quality care they deserve, and the ability to build strong relationships with our residents’ families helps us to do so. Visit our website to learn more about our award-winning facility or schedule a tour today!