How Often Should You Visit a Parent in Assisted Living?

You should visit a parent in assisted living as often as they can handle. However, the exact number of times depends on several factors, such as your parent’s health, their schedule and their ability to cope with social visits.

While assisted living offers many opportunities for seniors to interact and socialize with their neighbors, many long-term care residents still experience feelings of isolation and loneliness. So, even though you’re probably busy juggling home life, work and social engagements, it’s important to schedule frequent visits for your parent’s well-being.

Most assisted living facilities allow residents to visit with friends and family as often as they wish. To determine how frequently your visits should be, consider the following factors.

While you want to visit every day, your parent may relish their independence and therefore appreciate less frequent visits. Discuss how often they’d like you to visit, and respect their wishes.

More frequent visits are beneficial when a parent has a medical condition or health concern. Each visit allows you to observe changes in their health and behavior, so you’ll notice if anything requires attention.

When your parent first moves into an assisted living community, they’ll go through a period of adjustment as they adapt to their new environment, meet new people and settle into a new routine. Frequent visits during this time can provide much-needed reassurance and support.

Always try to schedule visits on special occasions, such as birthdays and anniversaries. Assisted living facilities also host events and organize activities that family members can take part in. Joining your parent on these occasions helps deepen your bond as you create new experiences together.

If you have siblings and other family members who also plan to visit, coordinate your schedules, so your parent has constant support and doesn’t become overwhelmed when the whole family turns up at once.

Although regular visits are beneficial to a parent in assisted living, visiting at certain times could be harmful to their well-being. For example, seniors with mild cognitive impairments can reside in an assisted living community. However, their condition could cause them to become distressed or upset when you visit. In this instance, you may want to restrict the frequency of your visits or limit the time you spend with your loved one.