It is difficult to move a dementia-stricken parent or loved one into memory care or assisted living communities. It is an emotional journey, and there will be many ups and downs along the way.

How to Move a Parent with Dementia to Assisted Living

A list of suggestions and tips can help you and your loved ones better prepare for the move to assisted living for a parent with dementia.

• Start a Conversation Early (depending upon the stage of memory loss).
• As soon as possible after a dementia diagnosis, make a long-term care plan.
• Looking ahead can help you find the right community for your loved one if they are in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. This will make it easier to transition to the next stage.
• In general, the right time to move into a community is when someone is unable to live independently and safely at home or when they require more care than you and/or your caregivers can provide.

If your loved one is in the middle-to-late-stages, it may be difficult to get them involved in choosing a community or planning the move. Sometimes it’s better to wait until the transition is imminent to let others know about the move and to enlist the support of friends and family to help in making decisions, sorting as well as packing.