Transitioning to an assisted living community is almost always a positive experience for seniors. They settle in quickly, make new friends, and immediately enjoy the amenities, programs, and activities of assisted living.
However, just like living in any environment, some conflicts can arise. There are many challenges facing seniors, from health problems to financial worries to stress, and sometimes these can play out as conflicts in community settings.
In addition, caregiving is challenging, and even the most dedicated caregivers can sometimes fall short, creating a bad experience for community members.
Read on to learn about the most common problems in assisted living as well as ways in which staff go about managing conflicts in assisted living facilities.
Common Problems in Assisted Living
Every assisted living community is different, and every senior’s circumstances are different as well. What bothers one resident may not phase another, but a few problems can arise even in the best circumstances.
Family Concern and Conflict
Having family support residents as they transition to assisted living is invaluable. However, families can also be a source of conflict regarding assisted living. For example, some family members can become overbearing and want to micromanage everything about their loved one’s schedule and accommodations.
While family members almost always raise concerns from a good place, creating conflict with the assisted living staff or community can often put their loved one in the middle.
Medication Management
Most older adults take several medications daily to treat chronic illnesses. Managing these medications is one of the biggest challenges facing seniors. While caregivers are skilled in helping residents manage their medication, they simply cannot be with each resident 24/7.
Sometimes, residents will forget what pills they took that day or refuse to take their medication. Regardless, medication management is a persistent challenge for residents and caregivers in assisted living.
Schedule Conflicts
One of the biggest benefits of transitioning to assisted living is the flexible schedule it offers residents. However, that doesn’t mean that schedules are always perfect.
Sometimes a fun activity will overlap with a resident’s appointment, or offsite transportation may not be available for a specific event. While staff makes every effort to accommodate individual preferences, schedule conflicts are a continual challenge.
Resident Behavior
While the vast majority of residents in assisted living are happy and live in harmony with other residents, that is not the case 100% of the time. Sometimes residents exhibit behavioral problems, including disruptive behavior and aggression toward caregivers or other residents.
Disruptive behavior can be caused by any number of things, including general problems with adjusting or side effects of medications.
How Do Problems Arise in Assisted Living?
Most problems in assisted living arise due to a simple lack of communication. When there is a conflict with family members, it can often be traced back to a mixed message or lack of clarity on assisted living expectations.
That’s why it is so important for senior residents to always communicate clearly and often with caregivers and staff members.
Assisted living facilities are filled with dedicated professionals who are experts in handling problems in assisted living. Unfortunately, there are a few outliers, and sometimes issues in assisted living can stem from caregivers.
Caregivers can become overwhelmed, sick, or worn out and not provide the quality care that seniors deserve. There are federal laws that protect elderly people from neglect and abuse, so it is critical that residents and their families report any caregiver misbehavior immediately.
How Staff Handles Problems in Assisted Living
When it comes to managing conflicts in assisted living, the staff at Caring Places Management makes every effort to get to the root issue of the problem and find a solution.
First and foremost, we communicate with the residents to find out what is bothering them or what went wrong. Our staff knows what follow-up questions to ask to ensure that we fully understand the source of the problem.
Next, we quickly find a resolution and develop a plan to implement it. Whether it is changing up a schedule, finding a new caregiver, re-examining medication, or another solution, we take action.
We also understand that it takes multiple efforts to truly solve a problem, and we are patient with the residents as we work through the issue together. Most importantly, the staff understands the many challenges facing seniors, and they approach every conflict with love and compassion.
Caring Places Management Assisted Living
Caring Places Management is a pioneer in the industry, and our staff is expertly trained in handling problems in assisted living.
Whether we are making alternative arrangements for a resident, switching up a communication style with a family, or simply responding to concerns from a resident, we strive to ensure every resident is happy, healthy, and safe.
Call us today to learn more about our services and our communities.
