Disabled But Not Dead

An individual accustomed to a certain degree of activity has a better chance of adapting into assisted living centers. Coupled with new faces to meet and friendships to build, they relish on the energy of the crowd. In the event one's elderly parents, relatives or friends fall into such a category of souls, a move to one of these places may not raise too much of a worry.

Since a new environment is bound to bring about some degree of stress and tension, it is best to prepare the one to be moved as well as those nearby for the eventual day. Enlist help from family and friends in the packing process. If need be, hold a garage sale and sell off some antiques unearthed from the attic and garage. By removing the relics from one's life, he or she has the potential to earn a tidy sum for new shopping ventures. Since most residential care centers do offer the same dimensions as one's home, it is all the more reason to rid oneself of junk and trash collected over the years. Whilst small collectibles may fit into the newer and smaller place, sideboards and four poster beds can take up new residence elsewhere.

As one makes preparation as though to move away to college, read the brochures and website on what to expect of the new place. In case one is still relatively active and can play a mean game of tennis, anticipate meeting new friends sharing a love for the sport. As many assisted living centers provide a co-ed environment, there is great incentive to look forward to evening mixers and social dances so as to get re-acquainted with the opposite gender. Whilst one may not be looking for a partner to sashay down life's road, there is certainly no harm in widening the network of friends. An apt chess player is a worthy investment into keeping one's mental faculties sharp and shooting.

Whilst making new friends re-establishes a connection with life, one can also invest the newly earned free time in other pursuits such as further education. Many an elderly person is not opportune to proper education due to circumstances beyond their control. As there is no statute of limitation to learning something new, the door is open for those wishing to obtain a degree in their field of choice. As residential care centers are wired up to the internet, one can embark on a distance learning program and possibly make history in the process.