How important is your usual schedule to you and your productivity? Creating habits and routines helps to improve social skills, academic success, and more.
But how does that relate to a schedule in an assisted living community? Our human desire for schedules doesn't go away when we're older. Instead, elderly daily schedules are often in place in these communities.
If you're curious about adapting to senior care, we're here to help. Read on to learn more about transitioning to assisted living and making the most of the new schedules.
The first step is to understand what sort of things are scheduled on an assisted living schedule. What's being restricted, and why would it be difficult to transition to?
The purpose of the restrictions on an assisted living schedule is to ensure optimized care. If all of the residents are on a different schedule, it becomes much more difficult for care to be provided.
Because of that, there's a homogenization to a large number of activities. Mealtimes, socializing, and often even bedtime and when to wake up.
You may chafe against someone telling you when it's time to sleep. Rest assured, these are not rules that force you to go to sleep at a certain time or something similar.
Rather, the given "bedtime" is when residents should expect everything to settle down for the day. Social activities will end, meals will no longer be given out, and some of the community's amenities may no longer function, such as pools.
Often, this helps with safety as well. Seniors using the exercise equipment at 2 in the morning may not have assistance nearby if they're injured, for example.
One of the things that's tough about adapting to senior care is the scheduled mealtimes. While seniors are not solely restricted to eating at certain times, most meals will occur during specific moments.
That's because food is served to everyone at once to ensure quality and that there's enough. Still, it isn't as strict as it sounds.
Residents rarely need to go to meals at an exact time. Instead, meals are often served buffet style during certain durations. Breakfast may be served from 7 to 10 before transitioning to lunch, for example.
These times and styles vary heavily depending on the assisted living community. There's also room to personalize meals for residents who are on certain diets, who need specific food for health reasons and more.
Communicate with the staff to know how the food schedule works. That way, you can begin to shift to what your new schedule may require.
Scheduled socialization is also something that can impact your daily schedule. But what is "scheduled socialization"?
Some people hear such phrases and assume that means there's some totalitarian grip on what you can and can't do. You'll hear myths that communities only allow residents to interact at certain times.
Rest assured that this is by no means the case. Instead, scheduled socialization refers to some community events that are organized for the residents.
For example, a scheduled event may include:
These events are there to help residents find a reason to interact. Still, this doesn't mean that these are the only times residents can interact. Your social life is in your hands, while scheduled events are a bonus.
Now that you've come to understand your schedule, how can you adapt? Adapting to new schedules is difficult. Disrupted routines can cause depression, anxiety, and a lack of productivity.
Don't let the disruptions to your routine have such profound effects. Here are the best ways to adapt to your schedule quickly and make the most of it.
Once the day begins to whittle down, what are you spending your time doing? Late nights are a great time for many people. It's nice to enjoy the quiet and the solitude and know that you have few priorities left to handle.
Unfortunately, night owls often can struggle in the early morning. According to Medical News Today, night owls often enjoy health benefits from adjusting their clocks to new routines.
Such adjustments can take some time, but you're often able to force the change. Shift your bedtime to be earlier to allow you to get to sleep sooner. While this can take a few nights, your body will slowly adjust.
As a result, you won't have to worry about sleeping through breakfast again. You'll enjoy having a full day without needing to spend time without rest.
Another tactic is to make the most of your day. Don't wake up early and sit in your room all day, watching the sun get lower and lower out of your window.
Instead, do your best to engage with as many scheduled activities as you comfortably can. Staying engaged with your fellow residents will help enrich your social life and give you more reasons to enjoy your new schedule. It's also ideal for people in independent living who are looking for ways to fill the days.
Finally, do your best to know what's scheduled. By doing so, you'll know what events you can enjoy and when for your assisted living lifestyle.
It's easy to lose track of our hours, especially when we're busy or trying to engage as much as possible. Keep a schedule of what sort of events you can interact with so you don't miss them.
Understanding assisted living routines means keeping yourself organized and motivated. Take your time to adjust to the new schedule and do your best to make the most of the day.
Here at The Watermark at Brooklyn Heights, we're where senior living comes to play. Our location offers a vibrant and unique environment in New York City where you can enjoy your golden years. Contact us to see how we can assist you today.