Settling into Assisted Living: Waking Up Several Times at Night May Very Well be Normal
Assisted Living in Hollywood Park, TX – Getting Used to a New Living Situation Takes Time
Making a major change in one’s life, such as moving into a new home or facility, can lead to numerous challenges in being comfortable and even getting a good night’s sleep. If you have an elderly loved one who recently moved into an assisted living facility, they may be telling you about their difficulties staying asleep throughout the night.
This doesn’t immediately mean that the facility is not right for them. It also doesn’t mean that the staff are not doing their job or that it’s too loud there.
Dealing with a major change in environment is going to be difficult for most people. Even moving into a new home that you’re excited about could cause you to have difficulties sleeping throughout the night, at least for the first few days when you’re there. That’s because of the change and the things you may be thinking about or excited about.
Your elderly loved one may be having difficulty falling asleep for many different reasons. It could be related to prescription medications they are taking, especially if it is a new medication that they are recently been given. It could be related to regret. Far too often when people move from a home they had been in for years, it’s difficult to let go, even when they acknowledge the need to be safer in their environment.
There will be numerous sounds that are unique to this particular living situation. Maybe your loved one was used to the sound of the wind as it blew through the trees outside their bedroom window. In this new facility, it might be completely silent, the windows could be very energy-efficient and sealed tight so they can’t hear the sound of outdoor noises.
There may be people walking around in the hallway, getting up in the room next to them, or other issues that cause them to wake up for now. All of these situations can be overcome without too much difficulty.
The most important thing is to encourage your elderly loved one to avoid looking into sleep aids, unless the problem becomes severe at which point they should speak to their doctor. If it’s noise that’s keeping them up, they might want to look into a fan or other white noise device that could block out external bumps, bangs, and voices.
Living in a new environment will create stress and anxiety, even in the best of situations. Just because you’re loved one may be having difficulty sleeping at night that doesn’t mean they made the wrong decision. Give it some time to help them settle in and avoid the temptation to encourage them to make another change.
For more information about Pipestone Place Assisted Living in San Antonio, TX or to take a tour, call today (210) 718-0211.
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