Moving a Relative with Memory Loss

Moving a relative from home to a residential care facility can be one of the most difficult decisions that family members will ever have to make. Moving a Relative with Memory Loss: A Family Caregiver's Guide, a booklet by Laurie White and Beth Spencer, is one of the best resources I have read on the subject. For those of you looking for black-and-white answers, you will not find them here. Moving a Relative with Memory Loss is about a thought process, not a solution. What you will find is an easy-to-read, practical guide that helps you think through the many issues involved in making the decision and implementing the actual move.

Do you take the memory-impaired relative with you when you visit a senior care facility? Do you talk to your relative about the move? How do you structure the actual move day? How do you take your leave on the day of the move? How soon after the move should you plan your first visit? How do you build a relationship with the staff?

The book describes the complex range of emotions caregivers are likely to feel at each stage of the process. Numerous vignettes, developed from the authors’ vast experience in helping families through this difficult process, are especially valuable as a means of illustrating that there are no set answers or predictable outcomes. Successes are measured in small increments.

Whether you are facing this issue with a family member or are a professional working with family caregivers, Moving a Relative with Memory Loss: A Family Caregiver's Guide should be on your shelf.

Posted in Alzheimer's & Dementia Care at Home, Alzheimer's Care, Downsizing Your Home, Moving Someone with Memory Loss, Practical Moving Solutions, Senior Moving Solutions