From the first day of school to marriage, welcoming a child, or moving into a new home, life is filled with change. Supporting a loved one as they transition into Memory Care is another significant step. At Commonwealth Senior Living, our goal is to make this transition one that brings new opportunities, daily engagement, and a sense of stability for both residents and their families.
We also understand that this experience can often feel more challenging for families than for the individual receiving care. Having clear expectations can help you feel more confident and supported along the way. This guide walks you through what to expect during the first 30 days of Memory Care and offers helpful insights from our team.
The First Step: Sweet Beginnings Family Orientation
Your experience begins with the Sweet Beginnings Family Orientation. This session provides the opportunity to meet community leaders, ask questions, and learn how the Sweet Memories neighborhood operates.
What is Sweet Memories Memory Care?
Sweet Memories is a home-like neighborhood designed specifically for individuals living with memory loss. The environment is structured to support safety, familiarity, and daily routines.
Caregivers receive specialized training and provide personalized attention throughout the day. Residents participate in activities designed to support engagement, consistency, and overall well-being.
Understanding the Adjustment Period
As with any transition in life, there will be an adjustment period. Not just for your loved one, but for you as well. Be patient with the process of getting settled in and ask questions when you need to.
What Your Loved One May Experience
During the first few weeks, your loved one may show changes as they adapt to a new environment. These may include:
- Increased confusion due to new and unfamiliar surroundings
- Heightened agitation due to fear and increased confusion
- Anger and/or symptoms of depression related to the need for memory care
- Decreased appetite
- Disruption in normal sleep routine
- Personality changes
These responses are expected. Our caregiving team is prepared to respond with patience and support while helping each resident settle into daily routines.
While visits are always welcome, allowing a few days before your first visit may help your loved one adjust more smoothly. However, this choice is always up to you.
Supporting Yourself
Families often experience a wide range of emotions during this time. Moving your loved one into Sweet Memories may have been one of the hardest decisions you ever had to make. Be kind to yourself. It was, most likely, the best decision you've made for them as well.
Our Approach: Person-Centered Care
Every resident has a unique story. Our approach focuses on learning each individual's history, preferences, and daily habits, using TSOLife.
This allows us to shape experiences that reflect who they are. By doing so, we support independence and help each resident maintain a strong sense of identity.
Helpful Tips for a Smooth Transition
Set up your loved one's suite similarly to the way they set their own room up at home.
Little touches like a family photo on the nightstand, grandchildren's pictures on the wall, or a special blanket on the bed are so important. A resident's suite is one of the most important areas of the neighborhood. For this reason, the more personalized and familiar the suite is, the more comfortable your loved one will be.
Bring pictures of your loved one from the past, small trinkets they will recognize, and memorabilia they're likely to remember.
Each suite has a memory box outside the door. This may be used by your loved one to locate their suite more easily. It also serves as a quick reminder for associates of what makes each resident unique so they're able to have rich and meaningful conversations while providing care.
Know that your loved one will be engaged in our award-winning Memory Care Signature Programs.
Family members have told us they are reassured to know they will be having fun, especially soon after moving in. Our standard at Commonwealth Senior Living is for our residents to engage in seven or more activities each day.
Know the best times to visit your loved one.
While we encourage you to visit whenever and as often as you like. We ask that you keep in mind that meal times are not always the best time to visit. For many individuals with memory loss, having a visitor during a meal is distracting and may interfere with their eating routine. That is true for your loved one as well as anyone sitting with them at their table. Additionally, with sundowning, afternoon or early evening visits are often difficult. Sundowning may occur for some individuals with Alzheimer's disease and cause restlessness, agitation, or confusion that begins or worsens as daylight begins to fade, which can sometimes make visits more challenging.
Label everything.
This includes clothing, books, photos, glasses, hearing aids, etc. Whether you do your loved one's laundry or we do it in the neighborhood, it is recommended that all clothing brought to the neighborhood be labeled with your loved one's name. It is very helpful when items are misplaced to be able to return them to our residents.
Know that your loved one is safe and in the best hands.
Our Sweet Memories neighborhood is a secure area of our community. This means the door to the neighborhood requires a passcode to enter. This is to always ensure the safety of all our residents. The door is not there to keep your loved one "locked in," but to alert us when they would like to go out, so we may safely accompany them or provide whatever need they are having at the moment. Personal care supplies are also kept in a secure area in our Sweet Memories neighborhood if they are a risk of harm to our residents.
We Are Here for You
Family remains an important part of life in our Sweet Memories Neighborhood. Our Family Night Signature Program offers an opportunity for residents, families, and associates to spend time together in a welcoming setting. These gatherings allow relationships to grow and help families feel more connected to the community.
This transition is an important step, and you are not alone. Our team is here to guide and support you through every stage of the journey.
We invite you to contact your nearest community to learn more or to join us for an upcoming Family Night.