While every resident situation and motivation for seeking out retirement living options are unique to each family, the feelings that come along the journey tend to be universal. There is peace in knowing loved ones are finally able to receive the care and attention they need. Joy can be felt when family members see residents enjoying an activity they once loved. There can be grief in the reality of declining health and idea of losing independence. Relief comes with knowing there are options, and a full care team can attend to tasks that once fell on the caregiver. It can also be an overwhelming time as family members look to downsize and sell a home, understand finances and other logistics that come with a major life shift. But ultimately, we hope one of the most-felt feelings of all is love. All the planning and activity that goes into the research and move into retirement living is done out love for the resident when the decisions lead to the fullest and happiest quality of life.
It’s important to know-there is no “right” way to feel while experiencing changes that come with a partner’s cognitive decline, feeling the stresses of caregiving, unsure about what the future looks like in retirement living or even the death of a spouse or loved one. At Country Meadows, there is support in every level of care that provides community and connection to both residents and their families.
“We believe emotional well-being is just as important as physical care,” described Carol Ditman, Country Meadow’s Senior Executive Director of Programming. “When families and residents are met with compassion and seen for the wonderful and complex individuals they are, we become a safe place for open conversation and a source of strength. We hope everyone can remember they are not alone and learn from each other.”
Between support groups, events on campus and trusted relationships built between families, residents and members of the care team, one of the greatest strengths of retirement living is connection. When family members hear from others with similar challenges and wins, everyone can feel seen and heard.
Support Groups in our Retirement Living Community are Open to the Public
“Still Us” is a virtual or in-person support group for spouses navigating a partner’s dementia diagnosis. Tools are shared for ways to navigate the difficult and emotional journey together and come to the realization that love and connection remain.
“This group was inspired by an interaction we had with a resident at a Dementia Live training session. A husband of a resident in the Connections Memory Support Services neighborhood was feeling discouraged after his wife was no longer recognizing him by name,” described Martie Haller, one of the program facilitators and an advisor at Country Meadows of Allentown. “Throughout the training, he learned about this being a natural progression of the disease and what to do at his next visit-arrive with a picture of a younger version of himself and introduce himself. Something clicked-he was recognized as someone special! Techniques and experiences like this example need to be shared to help others.”
During “Still Us” sessions, participants gain strategies to manage caregiving responsibilities and learn how you can live and love through dementia and other memory-related challenges. The group meets on the third Thursday of the month at 1:30 p.m. in Building 1 at our Allentown campus. You can join virtually from anywhere through Zoom. To learn more and join the next session, email AllentownMarketing@CountryMeadows.com.
G.R.A.C.E. is a caregiver support network focused on Guiding with Respect And Compassion for Everyone. Caregiving, like all the feelings that come with a retirement living journey, is not one-size-fits-all. These monthly sessions are open to anyone who is at any stage of the caregiving journey. If an adult daughter is recently finding herself with the responsibility to transport to doctors’ appointments or portion medications or a son who is starting to see the decline and wondering what happens next, this group would be a good place to come to learn, listen and tap into the experiences of fellow caregivers.
“When roles are reversed and family dynamics seem to change overnight with a diagnosis of a spouse, parent or loved one, the weight of responsibilities of caregiving can feel very isolating,” described Mandy Knight, Executive Director at Country Meadows of York-South (Leader Heights). “We hope to be a source of encouragement and give caregivers a moment to remember that they have a village behind them.”
For more details on a G.R.A.C.E. Network at a campus near you, contact that campus’ team of advisors.
We’re Here to Help
Whether you define the emotions you are feeling as a rollercoaster or waves, we are here for you and look forward to supporting your journey.
