Fostering Friendships in Assisted Living

For many people, making friends can be challenging. A majority of Americans tend to describe themselves as ‘introverted,’ meaning they are drawn inward, especially in unfamiliar circumstances or in new environments. That means, for seniors, getting out and engaging with strangers -people they don’t know, regardless of age- becomes overwhelming… sometimes.

Assisted living provides a wonderful opportunity for seniors to enjoy life, pursue new activities, and make new friends or reconnect with old friends they hadn’t seen in some time. However, it’s not always easy to make new friends for introverts.

That’s where the assisted living community you choose can make a world of difference in engaging seniors and helping them become more connected with other residents.

How does staff make a difference?

It’s a good idea to remember that not all elder care options are great. Yes, some type of elder care is better than none (in most cases), but where an elderly person may be alone and feel lonely most of the time because they have no one to talk to, play games with, or even watch good entertainment with, at a quality assisted living facility, staff can step in and offer encouragement.

But how do they offer encouragement?

In short, staff members will get to know new residents. They’ll stop by their room on occasion, check in with them, make sure they have everything they need, and they might ask some key, pointed questions.

Valuable staff may even sit with new residents and have conversations. They’ll get to know them on a more personal level; not to find out about them per se, but to discover their interests, likes, and dislikes.

Then, for the more introverted types, these same staff members could begin encouraging them to try various activities.

“Hey June,” one young lady working at an assisted living facility may say, “how about we go check out the art class downstairs,” knowing that Ms. June was once an avid artist, but gave it up when she got married and started a family. She never went back to it because there always seemed to be something else to do, including taking care of her disabled adult daughter and then her husband whose health was in dire straits for more than five years before he passed.

June may not go that time, but eventually, as she gets to know and trust the staff member more, she’ll eventually give in and try it.

Staff can then act as intermediaries between new and seasoned residents, introducing them to one another and helping them share common interests.

Sometimes, all it takes is the introduction, a ‘breaking of the ice’ that gets things moving in the right direction, and that’s how new friendships can be forged. While this doesn’t mean a new resident is going to make friends at assisted living, it is meant to show what’s possible for those who decide assisted living may be for them (or someone they love).

A new life at assisted living often means new opportunities, and new friendships are part of those ‘new’ opportunities.

If you or an aging loved-one is considering a move to Assisted Living in North Scottsdale, AZ please contact the caring staff at MD Senior Living today. 480-267-9200