I’m so overwhelmed caregiving for my wife at home; every day is getting harder and harder for both of us. I know that you have an Adult Day program, but I don’t see how I could get my wife to agree to go to your Center. She doesn’t think that she has a problem. What do you suggest?
First, I’d say 1 out of 10 people I meet actually want to come inside for that first meeting. The other nine do not want to be there at all! They are thinking - they don’t need us, why are they here, that they have so many other things they need to get done at home, etc. So please know you’re not alone, and we’re happy to help your family overcome this hurdle!
Second, as you probably recognize, this is a big change for them. They’re accustomed to being at home, and now branching out with so many new people in this new environment can be overwhelming. The best thing I can recommend is the more you can share with us about your loved one, the more we can personalize their experience. We can set them up for success with activities they’ll enjoy, other participants who share common interests, and get them connected in our community.
Almost all of our participants have grown to feel the joy of community, even though it feels like a big leap when they first start. Acclimating can take time, but as they get used to the new environment, they look forward to seeing friends and having a reason to get up in the morning.
We as staff are also here to reassure you and keep you in the loop on how those first few weeks are really going. We can share more about the activities they took part in - even how much they ate at lunch – to help you get a better picture of their day, especially if they aren’t able to share or remember everything that happened. We work hard to provide a safe and loving community at Insight, and we’ll work with you to make transitions as smooth as we can!
We're answering your questions in our "Ask Insight" series this month. If you have a question you'd like answered, please send it to imcc@insightmcc.org or give us a call at 703-204-4664!
Author
Katelyn Sloan is the Marketing Director at Insight Memory Care Center.