Moves for Seniors Blog

Have mom and dad recently moved and are having a hard time socializing at their new home? While they may have been social butterflies or quiet and self-contained in their previous home, continuous introverted behaviors may be a sign that it is time for you to step in and help.

Motivate mom and dad to put down the crossword puzzles, turn off the TV and walk away from the book, because it is time make an effort to socialize and step out of their comfort zones to discover what their new home has to offer. Below are some great tips and ideas on how to keep your parents social.

These tips and ideas work both in an independent living situation as well as assisted living facilities. The only difference is that it will be easier to find and/or start a group in an assisted living facility. In an independent living home, you may need to get your parents to a church, YMCA or library to help with the socialization process.

The first step is to be patient. It is important to remember that socialization doesn’t always happen quickly, it takes time to familiarize oneself with a new place and people. Do not force it; Let your parents ease their way into familiarizing themselves with their new residence.

Stay active while your parents wait. You do not need to sit on the sidelines while your parents gradually become more comfortable in their new environment. Start looking into senior social groups close to their new home and figure out what your parents might like based on their current needs. (This means if they use to be a tennis player but can barely walk, they might not like tennis – look into Wii tennis!).

Now let’s get more specific in finding ideas for your parents.

For the introvert, find a group with less group interaction. Look into a knitting or quilting group – mom can join the group, however will be able to work on her own project with limited interaction with others. A book club could also be a great group activity. Book clubs usually meet once a month your parents are not obligated to communicate; they could just listen to others’ thought on the book. Maybe your parents are avid fans of video games! This could also be a fun group to join and requires little to no talking.

If mom or dad like to play an instrument, find a group that they could play for. Does mom miss playing the piano or dad the guitar? They may love to play for the book club once a month. This would give them something to practice for during the month.

Do your parents like to be active and find all of the groups “too old?” Help them join a senior swim group or get them out on the golf course. Maybe there is a walking group they would be interested in.

Maybe there isn’t anything that truly catches their eye; then help your parents start their own group. Talk to seniors in their area and find out if they would be interested in a card group. Mom and dad love Canasta, and who knows, there may be another couple also interested in playing! Does mom like to bake? Try starting a baking club that meets every two weeks or weekly and have a bake sale.

Remember that everyone, including your parents, socialize in their own way, so (as stated above) be patient and help in any way you can! Who knows, maybe mom and dad would rather join Facebook and Twitter and find friends that way! They could surprise you!