How Do You Move a Parent With Dementia to Assisted Living?

You should be patient, reassuring and positive when moving a parent with dementia to assisted living. Moving to a new living environment can cause stress and anxiety for older individuals, so it’s essential to consider their mental health and emotional well-being during the transition. Highlight the benefits of hands-on assistance and social programming, and reassure your loved one that they won’t be forgotten or left alone after the move.

Assisted living may be an appropriate care setting for seniors with mild dementia. However, specialized memory care communities are more suitable for those with moderate to severe symptoms. Therefore, it’s better to choose a facility with a dedicated memory care neighborhood to avoid moving again as the disease progresses.

Unless you’re your parent’s legal guardian, as ordered by a court, you can’t force them to move to an assisted living community. If your parent refuses to move and you’re unable to meet their care needs, you can apply to the court for a guardianship order. If granted, this allows you to make decisions in your parent’s best interests, such as moving them into a residential care setting.

However, courts will only approve guardianship if your parent can’t make decisions in their best interests. If your parent is still in the early stages of dementia, a court may be unwilling to remove their independent rights. If they still refuse to move to assisted living, you need to consider alternative types of support, such as in-home care or adult day care.

If your parent agrees with moving to assisted living, it’s crucial to remain sensitive and understanding of any doubts. Remain positive and regularly reaffirm the benefits of assisted living for your parent. Involving seniors with mild dementia in the decision-making process can make them more comfortable — take them to visit potential facilities and let them join in conversations about their care. Coordinate with assisted living staff and your parent’s health care providers to ensure those communities can meet their current and ongoing needs.

When your parent moves to an assisted living community, help them make their accommodation homey and comfortable as soon as possible. For example, display photos of loved ones and cherished keepsakes and put a favorite blanket on the bed. Check in regularly with the care team, encourage your parent to try new activities and maintain frequent supportive communication in person and via telephone.