Moving Mom or Dad?
Dos & Don'ts For Families

When planning to move a loved one to a facility, set the stage first. Arrange the room with familiar items before they move to the facility. Familiarity will assist with the adjustment.

1. Don't talk it over (remember logical reasoning does not usually work for people in moderate stage Alzheimer's disease.)
2. Tell them the day they are moving.
3. Validate their feelings. Do not argue or disagree with them.
4. Move in the mid-morning or mid-afternoon. Early morning tends to be a busy, hectic time at facilities. You want a calm entrance.
• Allow for some quiet adjustment time in their new room before venturing out to other areas of the facility.
• Take "getting to know the facility" slowly. It may be overwhelming to "tour" the entire facility. Take a step each day.
• Ask staff at the facility to limit the number of people coming in and out of the room or introducing themselves. Pick one person, perhaps the Activity Director, who will be the contact person for the first week. Communicate verbally and in writing that you want contact limited.
5. Plan to stay with them or if they currently have homecare have the scheduled caregiver plan to be with them.
• If they have homecare continue to have caregivers come to the facility. Slowly decrease homecare, if desired. This gives your loved one time to adjust to new people and allows the homecare person to educate the facility staff to your loved ones needs; their likes, dislikes and care.
• You may want to continue with homecare to provide your loved one with one-to-one attention, but perhaps decrease the amount of time they are scheduled.
6. Meals - join them for meals, especially the first few days.
   Choose a quiet area in the dining room. The noisy, busy bustle of the dining room can be upsetting and agitating. Limit introductions to new people.
7. Keep a happy face, even though you may not feel like it. This shows your loved one that everything is all right and gives them a feeling of safety.
8. Provide the facility with a one-page bullet profile of your loved one. Provide this to the facility before moving, to be placed in the chart. Have extra copies on hand to give to staff once moved. Keep them handy in drawers. Example of a profile:
• Where born and raised
• What school attended- degrees - focus
• Occupation
• Children
• Close relatives and friends names
• Accomplishments in life
• Interests
• Spiritual beliefs
• Other items that you feel are important
9. Provide the facility with a one-page bullet point list of your loved ones routine and care. Add details such as likes and dislikes and keep copies to hand out. For example:

8:30 - Normal time he/she gets up.
9:00 - Eats before dressing. (has for 60 years)
Takes pills at this time with orange juice.
Takes a bath. (has never taken showers, does not like them)
10:00 - Always looks over the newspaper - checks certain stocks (put names)


Carry this list through to the time he/she goes to bed - list all routines.
Note if there are items such as- dentures, hearing aids, etc. - (find out how the facility will maintain these items)

10. Provide the facility with a one-page bullet list of the following:
• Likes and dislikes
• What calms your loved one?
• What makes him/her happy?
• What agitates him/her?
• Are there any past traumas that are important for staff to know (ie WWII, suicides, loss of a loved one)?

Recognize that you will need to repeat this information. We can't guarantee that the move will be easy even if you follow all the steps, but following the above outlined suggestions will certainly help the transition go smoother.

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