How to Feel Confident When Moving to an Independent Living Facility

Updated on February 2, 2022

Are you a senior who has made a recent decision to move to an independent living facility? It’s a huge step, and for many, it can be filled with fear, nerves, anxiety, and apprehension – but those negative feelings don’t mean you’re making a mistake. It’s only natural to feel scared about change; after all, this is brand new to you and you don’t know what to expect. To help combat your nerves and make you feel more confident about the move, here are some tips you can use.

Tour the Facility Before Moving In

A good place to start is by scheduling a tour of the facility and ideally your unit or a similar one in advance of your move date. This will give you a feel for the facility, and you can meet some of the staff and even some residents. You can also check out the layout and even get measurements for your unit/room. All of this information can help you to better prepare and understand what to pack and bring with you.

Bring Personal Items with You to Create a Homey Vibe

One of the best ways to feel at home and settled in is to surround yourself with personal items. These could be items that have sentimental value to you or that make life more comfortable. Things such as family photos, your bedding, artwork and so forth can all put you at ease and make a new space feel more comfortable.

Make an Effort to Meet People

Part of the reason why seniors choose to move to an independent living facility is the recreational and social opportunities they offer. The fact that they offer a built-in community of other seniors means you can meet all kinds of people and start to build a social circle. If loneliness was any kind of factor in the decision process, here’s your chance to do something about it.

Portside Grande Dunes offers independent living Myrtle Beach and encourages seniors to embrace the social aspects. Many facilities take it a step further and also offer on-site classes, seminars, guest speakers, games nights, movie nights, and more. All of this encourages a community vibe that may have been lacking in your lifestyle.

Invite Your Family and Friends to Visit

While it’s great to meet new friends, it will also help to invite family and friends to visit whenever they can. It will give you a chance to show off your new place and get that sense of familiarity from them.

Allow Yourself a Transition Period

Finally, go easy on yourself. There is bound to be a transition period and it can be sad and a bit scary. New beginnings aren’t always easy, but they will get better. Be kind to yourself, lean on your support system and remind yourself that you will settle in you will start to make a new and exciting life for yourself.

All of these tips will help you to see your move in a positive light and find the bright side in it all. 

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