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Routines help to minimize tension and worry by allowing everyone involved to know what to expect on a daily basis. Older adults thrive on familiarity within assisted living facilities in St. Augustine, Florida. Familiarity allows them to feel at ease and reassured by creating an environment with familiar habits and activities. They can keep their sense of control and independence if they can still do a task. Likewise, organizing a common structure of events will aid in the transfer of an everyday routine schedule to the brain’s memory over a long period.

What Should I Think About When Putting Together A Routine?

For memory care in St. Augustine, pay special attention to your loved one’s bathroom, eating, grooming, dressing, and washing routines. Think about where and when they get stuck (if they get stuck), the particular things they enjoy wearing, and even preferred colors, food, and drinks when establishing a routine at assisted living in Saint Augustine, Florida.

Benefits of Assisted Living in Saint Augustine Florida

At a skilled nursing facility in St. Augustine, Florida, the importance of other familiar hobbies and interests in the caregiving experience cannot be overstated. That includes music, specific songs, TV shows, series, and hobbies they enjoy. If you’re not sure, start writing them down. The more of these activities you can involve your loved ones with, the more secure and comfortable they will feel.

If you’re a caregiver for an older adult, this knowledge should make your job a little easier. Your loved ones must take care of themselves as much as possible for as long as they can. It’s still crucial to stick to these habits as individuals age. Your loved one will benefit from your assistance. Try doing specific tasks with your loved ones if they can still accomplish them with your help. 

Transitioning to independent living such as a St. Augustine retirement community is often a greatly recommended step in preserving seniors’ and their family’s well-being.

However, major life adjustments or transformations may require your family to endure some difficulties at first. Taking the proper steps when transitioning your elderly parents to independent living might be less stressful for them. Make the transition to St. Augustine independent living easy with these 5 tips:

1. Prepare Mentally

Regardless of how long you’ve been preparing to transition your loved one to St. Augustine, Floridaretirement communities, there might still be some anxiety and fear. 

There’s never a time when anyone is fully prepared for a move, so what you can do is make use of everyone around you, your online connections, and anyone you find inspirational for the well-needed support. Establishing a rapport with the caregivers is also a great move as they are trained to deal with seniors going through transition anxiety.

Allowing yourself to talk away the fears will help you to conquer them. Our most valuable guidance is to exercise patience with your loved ones as every individual adjusts emotionally at their own pace. 

2. Begin Downsizing Right Away 

Even if you’ve only lived together a few years, relocating to retirement communities near St. Augustine, Florida and downsizing may be a stressful experience for all parties concerned.

Start early to determine which goods will be required in your parents’ new house vs. those that can be tossed, stored, handed down, or donated. These steps will help your parent better deal with the emotional process of moving to assisted living in Saint Augustine.

3. Make Their Room Welcoming 

Make the room as comfortable and homely as possible at St. Augustine skilled nursing facilities. This usually helps to put their minds at ease and to start warming up to the new setting. If feasible, try to recreate the old living environment and organize the items the same way.

4. Encourage Participation 

Whichever activity typically stimulates your elderly mom or dad, there’s usually something to fill that slot at a St. Augustine retirement community. Please encourage them to join and participate in various community events upon moving in, which will be beneficial both physically and mentally.

5. Arrange For Family Visits 

It’s a huge boost when parents at St. Augustine, Florida retirement communities anticipate meeting familiar faces. Arrange with various family members and make sure your parents know when to expect each visit by hanging a calendar in their new living area.

Are you curious why so many people you know are moving into Saint Augustine independent living communities? We put together a list of the top 7 reasons Westminster Saint Augustine is the perfect match for so many seniors.

1. Lakeview dining, cafés, and pubs.
   • No more cooking or doing the dishes, all you need to do is sit back and order your favorite dish off the menu and enjoy the waterfront view.
2. The neighborhood.
   • If you are looking to move somewhere sunny, what better place than in a Saint Augustine independent living facility? At Westminster St. Augustine, we are surrounded by beautiful nature preserves. However, it’s still just a short drive away from the beaches, shops, and restaurants that define the historic coast lifestyle.
3. Amenities.
   • Here are some of our favorite things: heated swimming pool, fitness center, putting green, bocce court, beauty salon, library, and more! Our residents also get special privileges at World Golf Village. If you love golf and getting active, this is the perfect community for you.
4. Continuing Care Retirement Community.
   • If you decide to move to an independent living community like Westminster St. Augustine, then you are planning for your future. If you live in our independent living community and have an increase in medical care, you will have priority access to our short-term rehabilitation center, assisted living, and long-term nursing care.
5. Maintenance-free living.
   • This is not just the exterior of your apartment or villa home. This is an inside and outside maintenance plan. We manage the repairs and yard maintenance so you can just relax and have some fun! If you do not like doing chores, do not worry, we also offer bi-weekly housekeeping, arrange transportation for doctors’ appointments, shopping trips, and more.
6. Floorplans.
   • Here at Westminster St. Augustine, you can choose from apartments, patio homes, and single-family homes. Residences range in size from one-bedroom apartment homes to single-family homes with more than 2,000 square feet. Patio and single-family homes also feature private garages. No matter what choice you make, every residence is newly renovated with bright, open floor plans, including floor-to-ceiling windows, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, and high-quality cabinetry and flooring. You can even find a room that has a water or nature reserve view. Take a look at our spacious floorplans here.
7. Pharmacy.
   • When you select to work with Westminster Pharmacy Services you get a team approach to managing your prescriptions. We only offer these services to our residents, and we make sure that you are receiving the medications that are right for your unique needs so that there are no negative interactions. We also have nurse consultant services, billing support, and customer care representatives to help you with any of your pharmacy needs.

There are a variety of reasons so many seniors are choosing to move into Saint Augustine independent living communities. If you have questions about Westminster St. Augustine, visit our website here for more information. You can also contact us and schedule a tour. We look forward to meeting you and discussing your unique needs.

Moving into independent living facilities in St. Augustine, Florida does not mean needing to compromise that warm feeling of home that keeps us comfortable. Even in a new location, there are a multitude of ways to smooth out the transition and get right back to feeling like you’re at your true home. Before homesickness kicks in, be sure to follow these tips to help your new Westminster St. Augustine home feel like, well, home!

Learn What You Can and Cannot Do

Every retirement community will have different restrictions on what residents cannot do. For example, depending on your facility, you may not be able to put holes in the wall or use specific furniture. Speak with a knowledgeable staff member to be given a template that you can work off of when decorating your new home. After all, you don’t want to spend time on any renovations that are disallowed by your new living arrangement.

Update Your Surrounding Aesthetics

Many rooms of a retirement community are often cookie cutter. That is, they all start off with very identical appearances. Consider your new independent living room to be a blank slate for you to impart your unique style upon! If possible, consider painting your walls for a minimally arduous way to inject personality into the room. If painting is not allowed, look to other ways to change the color scheme – such as décor and set pieces.

Introduce Familiar Scents

One understated aspect of what helps a space feel like home is our preferred smells. When you move into a fresh space in a retirement community, it will certainly lack the scents that helped your previous home feel so comforting. Bring in some of your favorite candles or wall plug-ins to fill your new home with those smells that you are so familiar with.

Decorate with Your Experiences

Anyone can use sets of colors or themes to decorate but nobody can replicate the unique experiences that define your life. Bust out the photo frames – this personal touch can alleviate any homesickness you may feel while also helping your new home feel like a truly special place. This way, you can take your new retirement community home and make it uniquely yours.

Make New Memories

We hope that your stay with Westminster St. Augustine will be long and happy. Part of making a new residence feel like home is making new memories in that new place! Rather than dwelling on the past and sinking into homesickness, you can dive into new adventures that help you embrace your new home. Explore new hobbies, make new friends, and live life to the fullest.

Fortunately, Westminster St. Augustine offers everything you need to discover renewed, gracious living. Featuring neighborhoods of modern, spacious apartments and villa homes surrounded by beautiful pine stands, there is no shortage of exciting ways to spend every day! Find out how you can make your lifestyle a little sunnier with our premier independent living facilities in St. Augustine by calling us today.

Looking for St. Augustine assisted living options? Located at the heart of Florida’s—and America’s—oldest city, Westminster St. Augustine is the perfect place for those who want to retire surrounded by a rich, storied landscape without sacrificing modern amenities and conveniences!

Just read on to learn more about St. Augustine’s expert balancing act of history and modern luxury, and how to make it your own with a move to this lively Westminster location. Take a look.

America’s oldest city (and the first first Thanksgiving?)
Founded in 1565, St. Augustine is the oldest settlement-turned-city in the entire country—and you can get a sense of that rich historical backdrop all around town.

In fact, you may be surprised to know that the earliest form of this celebration stateside (or, what is today known as stateside) took place in St. Augustine in 1565, a shared religious feast between Spanish settlers and the local Seloy people. This took place near the famous Castillo de San Marcos, a familiar St. Augustine landmark that predates America itself. Visit this fort or take a stroll through St. Augustine’s historic downtown to step into the past on your everyday adventures—either way, there’s always something new to learn and discover.

Outdoor fun
Sure, the Spanish settlers may not have built golf courses, carts or sparkling swimming pools upon arriving in St. Augustine—but today, these outdoor staples are part of the St. Augustine lifestyle that Westminster residents know and love! Modern outdoor fun abounds here at the heart of World Golf Village.

Modern amenities for your best lifestyle

In addition to everyday outdoor fun, Westminster St. Augustine residents can enjoy modern amenities like luxury dining options, a beauty salon, housekeeping, effortless transportation to appointments and so much more.

We hope that today’s virtual tour offers you a glimpse of life in St. Augustine! At Westminster St. Augustine, you can enjoy all the arts, culture and outdoor activities the charming city is known for, all while enjoying a truly maintenance-free lifestyle suited to your unique needs. Contact us today to learn more—we can’t wait to show you around.