How Often Can Families Visit Loved Ones in Assisted Living?

When planning to transition their senior loved ones to a senior living community, families tend to overthink the visiting policies and requirements. They may feel overwhelmed by the thought of losing access to their senior loved one. 

But that’s far from how senior assisted living communities work. In reality, assisted living homes understand the importance of regular family visitations for senior residents, and thus, they have visitation-friendly policies.

If you’re planning to move your senior loved one to assisted living but are not sure how often you can visit them, don’t worry. In this post, we’ll discuss what factors you should consider for planning visitations to senior living communities.

But before we get to that, let’s discuss the benefits of regular visits to your senior loved one in assisted living. 

Benefits of Regularly Visiting Your Senior Loved One in Assisted Living

Visiting your senior loved one regularly has numerous mental, emotional, and overall health benefits. Senior living communities know this. They welcome visitors and encourage them to dine together or participate in activities with their loved ones. It helps create social engagement and emotional connection for both residents and their family members. 

For many seniors in assisted care communities, no amount of friendships and social interaction with other residents can fill the place of family who regularly visits them. Regular visits provide emotional support and reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation, which are usually common among new residents. 

More importantly, your regular and scheduled visits can maintain your loved one’s cognitive functions. By participating in meaningful conversations and activities with them, you can contribute to their cognitive stimulation and enhance mental sharpness, which can delay the onset of memory-related issues like dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Factors to Consider for Visiting Your Senior Loved One in Assisted Living

Now that you know the benefits of regularly visiting your loved one in assisted living, you are probably wondering what “regular” really means or if there is a set number of visits that one should do every week. While there is no set number of visitations that you must do, you can consider some factors and decide on the right frequency of visits.

Distance from Their Assisted Living Community

The frequency of visits will mainly depend on the distance of your loved one’s assisted living community from your home. If you live nearby, you can feasibly make weekly or bi-weekly visits to your loved one. 

However, if you live farther away in another town or city, frequent visits can be quite challenging. In that case, you can visit them once a month or on special occasions to keep the emotional connection alive. 

Your Loved One’s Health & Preferences

Another factor in determining how often you should visit your loved one in assisted living is their health. In general, older adults who struggle with health challenges and mobility issues often value more frequent visits from their family and friends. If your loved one is happy on their own and prefers to cherish their independence and solitude, you may not have to visit them very often. However, it’s best to talk to them and ask about their preference. 

Your Family Dynamics & Support System

Lastly, your family dynamics and support system, such as your siblings and other relatives, can also play a role in planning the frequency of your visits. If you have siblings, they may also want to visit your senior loved one.

You can communicate with them and come up with a routine that’s feasible for everyone and meets your loved one’s social needs. A set routine will also avoid any future confusion and family conflicts over visitation responsibilities.

Looking for a Home Away From Home for Your Senior Loved One? Take a Tour of the Harrison of Stuart Assisted Living & Memory Care Today

When your loved one gets older and moves to a senior living community, they often tend to wait for your visits. Regular visits can boost their mood and improve their emotional health while helping them maintain cognitive stimulation. 

If you’re looking for a home away from home for your senior loved one, where they can socially engage and participate in various activities that enhance the quality of their life, consider choosing the Harrison of Stuart Assisted Living & Memory Care.

Located at 650 NW Fork Road in Stuart, Florida, we offer our residents a picturesque location with many natural attractions and beautiful walking trails. If you want to learn more about how our assisted living community can help your senior loved one in their golden years, schedule a tour of the Harrison of Stuart today.