Martha a 90 year young, pleasantly spirited lady with Mild Impaired Cognition, and her son Bob, made the decision to move Martha to adult foster home. Martha was having a few more falls, and the hope was, with a smaller setting in an AFH she would have better over sight. The first morning after her move, I received a frantic call from her son Bob saying mom had to move, she wasn’t adapting to the new home, she was anxious and agitated.
In people of any age, a move is commonly noted as one of life’s higher stress events. For those with impaired cognition the moving process can be even more difficult; fearful of the unfamiliar surroundings, new sounds and smells, and many first time faces. This may lead to restless or sleepless nights, which may increase the anxious feelings along with perhaps never before experienced, aggressive tendencies. All can be alarming for a family member.
The caregivers in the home where Martha chose to live, had experience with others whom had made this same transition before, and were able to navigate through Martha’s fears, and anxiety attacks. Today, not even a full 2 weeks after Martha’s move, she is happy, feels safe and is enjoying her new routine of daily card games, gardening and petting the homes mascot a husky named Sam.
