What if Someone with Alzheimer’s Disease Needs to Move into a Different Assisted Living Facility?

Deciding to move a loved one with Alzheimer’s into assisted living is one of the most difficult and loving decisions a family can make. But what happens when the environment meant to provide safety and support begins to show signs of strain?

From increased agitation to unexplained injuries, problems in assisted living can surface, leaving you wracked with doubt and a heartbreaking question: Should we move them again?

Navigating this crossroads requires careful observation, clear communication, and a focus on your loved one’s unique needs above all else.

What to Do When There Are Issues with Your Current Assisted Living Facility

When an older adult with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia gets settled into an assisted living or memory care community, the last thing you want to do is put them through another move.

But what if they’re not getting proper care?

When an older adult doesn’t get the care they need, families typically talk with staff and meet with administrators to discuss concerns and fix problems. Things usually improve after that.

But sometimes, nothing changes – even after many meetings. At that point, families wonder what they should do.

Is it a good idea to move someone with Alzheimer’s who has become comfortable in their new home?

Or is it better to take the risks that come with less-than-good care and avoid the disruption of a move?

We share three tips for making that tough decision, three ways to find a better assisted living community, and five ways to minimize disruption if a move is necessary.

Should You Move Someone With Alzheimer’s Disease?

When deciding to move someone with dementia, it’s essential to weigh the risks of staying in the current community against the disruption of a move.

We share three tips to help you decide.

1. Exhaust all problem-solving options

First, make sure you’ve exhausted all the possible options for solving the current problems.

If meeting with administrators and staff isn’t getting you anywhere, contact the local ombudsman.

Ombudsmen are advocates for residents of nursing homes, residential care homes, and assisted living communities. They may be able to speak to the administrator or offer advice to improve the situation.

2. How severe are the issues?

Think about the severity of the problems and think about the consequences if they’re not fixed.

Are they major health and safety problems that could cause a fall, a significant health problem, or a rapid decline?

Or are they less serious care issues?

Having ongoing issues that administrators and staff won’t fix isn’t good, but if the situation isn’t likely to harm your senior’s health, avoiding a move may be more critical than an A+ level of care.

3. Confirm options before making a move

Before putting your older adult through a move, be as sure as possible that the next assisted living community will be better than the current one.

3 Strategies for Finding a Better Assisted Living Community

Here are three tips for finding an assisted living community that’s a better fit for your older adult and their care needs.

1. Use a checklist to compare assisted living facilities

Having a good checklist helps you evaluate and compare essential features from the communities you visit. We recommend this one.

2. Get help from a long-term care expert

Looking for another assisted living community can be overwhelming. Consider hiring a senior housing expert or a geriatric care manager to guide you through the process.

Senior housing specialists are like real estate agents who specialize in senior living.

They know the local market and the reputations of the various communities, and they help find the right place based on budget and care needs.

Like real estate agents, they don’t charge you for their services – they typically get commissions from care communities.

Geriatric care managers are specialists who help improve your senior’s quality of life and reduce family stress.

They also know the local senior housing communities and can advise you on the best place for your older adult. However, they do charge for their services.

3. Talk with staff, residents, and families

When visiting an assisted living community, talk with staff, residents, and other family members. They’ll be able to give you the scoop on what it’s really like there.

5 Ways to Minimize Disruption if a Move to Long-Term Care is Needed

Older adults with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia may become disoriented by a move.

If the move is necessary for their long-term health and well-being, use these five suggestions to minimize the disruption.

1. Keep the move a secret

Activities like packing and planning the move can be just as stressful and confusing as the move itself.

One way to minimize disruption is to refrain from letting your loved one know they’re going to move and to keep any move-related activities hidden from them.

Doing the packing and actual moving in secret will take extra planning and coordination, but may be well worth the effort.

On the day of the move, have one person supervise the actual move. Another person takes your older adult on a special outing.

When returning from the outing, go directly to the new place as if your older adult has lived there all along.

You can decide how much of the move you’ll explain or discuss, depending on your older adult’s cognitive ability.

2. Make things look and feel the same

When setting up your older adult’s new living space, make everything as similar as possible to their previous place.

This includes the room’s layout, furnishings, bedspread, linens, etc.

Talk with the staff and share your older adult’s daily routine and preferred activities.

Ask if it’s possible to stay on the schedule they’re used to and to do the activities they’re used to.

3. Be there to comfort and observe

After the move, it’s usually helpful to be there as much as possible to provide comfort and a familiar face.

However, some older adults actually do better when left alone with care staff for the initial transition period.

It may be a good idea to use the method that worked well when you transitioned them to the previous community.

Whether your older adult knows you’re there or not, it’s a good idea to observe and make sure the care level at the new place meets your expectations.

Visit at random, unannounced times and show up during important care activities, like meals, incontinence care, or bathing, to check what’s happening.

4. Use medication with caution

Many doctors will prescribe sedatives to make a move easier for older adults.

However, this isn’t necessarily a good approach because these drugs sometimes cause more confusion or agitation.

Experienced geriatricians like Dr. Kernisan prefer resorting to a few small doses of antipsychotic medication, rather than using popular sedatives.

Dr. Kernisan’s top recommendation is to provide your senior with ample family support through non-drug techniques such as reassurance, comfort, and pleasant distractions.

5. Get expert advice before the move

The Alzheimer’s Association is an excellent resource for specific advice and suggestions on these tricky situations.

When you speak with one of their family care specialists or social workers, you can describe your older adult’s mental, physical, and emotional state and receive tailored ideas to minimize the disruption of a move.

They could also help you come up with a plan to make the actual move easier, too.

Final Thoughts on Moving a Loved One with Alzheimer’s Into Long-Term Care

When challenges arise in assisted living, your role as an advocate becomes more crucial than ever. Whether the solution involves working with the staff to improve care or making the difficult decision to move, your guiding principle must be your loved one’s safety, dignity, and quality of life.

Trust your instincts – you know them best. This journey is about finding the right fit, not admitting defeat. By responding with clarity and compassion, you ensure their well-being remains the unwavering priority, no matter where they call home.

Recommended for you:

• What Is Memory Care?
• How to Choose an Assisted Living Facility: Helpful Checklist and Tips
• 3 Tips to Choose Between Assisted Living vs In-Home Care

 

A member of the Daughterhood community asked for advice on an assisted-living situation many families are dealing with. To answer this question, Anne Tumlinson, founder of Daughterhood, asked DailyCaring and Dr. Leslie Kernisan, founder of Better Health While Aging, for suggestions. This article is based on the response that we collaborated on.

Daughterhood’s mission is to support and build confidence in women who are managing their parents’ care. Founder Anne Tumlinson coaches women and men to insist on excellent care and a meaningful experience for their parents. For the last 23 years, she’s worked to improve how America cares for its frailest, most vulnerable older adults. Anne has testified before federal commissions and Congress, and has consulted with hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living providers, and home care companies.

Better Health While Aging is a health and caregiving education website created and curated by Dr. Leslie Kernisan. She’s been practicing as a geriatrician since 2006 and has a special interest in family caregivers. Dr. Kernisan is board-certified in internal medicine and in geriatrics. She’s a Clinical Instructor in the UCSF Division of Geriatrics and a graduate of Princeton University, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, and the UC Berkeley School of Public Health.