Moving from one’s home of decades to a skilled nursing or assisted living facility can be rather challenging for older adults. And families need all the support they can get. That is why TCPA provides additional services to facilitate the process. Priti Jindal, the Chief Medical Officer at TCPA, recently spoke on the LTC Heroes podcast about what families can do to ensure easier transitions.
Jindal explained to Experience Care’s Peter Murphy Lewis that to make the transition process smoother, families should take specific steps, such as visiting the facility with their loved ones, getting to know the staff, and ensuring their belongings are in the apartment before they move in. “After they move in, make sure their pictures, photos, memories, and furniture are in the apartment, so they have familiar items,” said Jindal.
The next step is to ensure that loved ones are receiving the appropriate care. “Check in on them frequently, and make sure the prescribed medications are correct because a lot of times, during a transition, medications are misplaced or disorganized,” Jindal said. “So ensure they're being given appropriately and the staff knows everything going on with your loved one.”
For Jindal, the key to a smooth transition is ensuring fluid and open communication between residents and their families. “It is incredibly important to speak in a language with the families and residents that they understand and to translate the jargon,” Jindal said. “By listening to families and residents, you can understand, react, and address their concerns.” This, for Jindal, is an essential step in providing quality care to older adults.
Written By: Cindy Wong
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