Transfer trauma is a term used to describe the stress that a person with dementia may experience when changing living environments. It is more commonly seen in a person with early-stage dementia and when someone is moving into a facility from their lifelong home.

The length of time and severity of the transfer trauma is quite individual. For some, the stress associated with the move may be fairly significant, and for others mild or not at all. The stress may last for a few days or a few weeks.

Moving into a senior living community? WayForth is your professional senior move management company. We help take the stress and hassle out of moving, so you can focus on what matters most. Contact our team of experts today for a consultation!

Transfer Trauma During a Senior Move

This stress is usually temporary in nature and relieved as the individual builds friendships, gains trust, and develops a sense of purpose and belonging in their new community.

It is important to be aware that many individuals with dementia will experience transfer trauma when they move into a long-term care facility. Therefore there should be a proactive plan in place to minimize the effects and duration of transfer trauma.

What to Expect After Moving Day

We must also try to facilitate a sense of real purpose and belonging by encouraging the residents to do as much for themselves as desired and to make themselves at home.

For example, residents should be encouraged to use the laundry facilities, make themselves a cup of coffee, get their own cereal in the morning, straighten up their room, turn the TV on to watch the baseball game, host a family party in the private dining area, tend the garden, deliver the mail, etc. Whatever they desire, they should be enabled to do. This is what helps make the new environment their home.

The family may also experience stress and guilt during the first couple of weeks after they have made the decision to move their loved one into the community. This is quite normal.

Often in the early stage of dementia, a person does not recognize their own deficits. In fact, they believe that they’re still capable of caring for themselves when, in reality, they are not. Lack of safety is usually an initial sign and a reason many families choose to move their loved ones into an assisted living community.

This lack of awareness and recognition of deficits by the person with dementia puts added stress on the family. It is common for residents to call their families and say, “I disagree with this decision. I am fully capable of living at home. I don’t want to stay here anymore.”

A lot of resolve is required to stay the course. Do not bend or waiver in the decision. Families often know the time has come for their loved one to live in a supervised, specialized community. Is this difficult? Absolutely, staying true to this decision can be challenging.

Your family member with dementia is experiencing a new living environment which promotes their individuality and their functional and emotional potential. You can expect to hear from the community regarding progress, how the family can help and support, and expectations. It is also recommended that you join an Alzheimer’s and dementia support group in which families can receive support and guidance from others who have experienced the guilt and stress of moving someone into a long-term community. There is much power in families sharing with one another.

Resources for Caregivers

If you know someone exhibiting some of these signs, encourage them to talk with their physician. The earlier Alzheimer’s or dementia is diagnosed, the more time you as a caregiver will have to prepare and plan ahead.

The Alzheimer’s Association is also a great resource that provides research, care, and support for those affected by Alzheimer’s and dementia and their caregivers, free of charge. Find more information on their caregiving resources here.

Senior Move Management and Downsizing

When the time comes for a senior parent to downsize into a smaller home or move into a community, WayForth can guide you through the emotional and physical elements of these types of relocations.

Our team is pleased to offer senior move management and downsizing, among many other services. All of our services aim to make this life transition easier on you and your loved ones.

Read our blog “How to Support a Family Member with Alzheimer’s” for more advice.

Here are a few of the Senior Move Management Services We Offer:

• Senior Move Planning & Financing
• Sorting, Packing, Moving, and Resettling of Belongings
• Selling, Donating, or Disposing of House Contents
• Prepping and Cleaning the Home for Sale

Interested in one or many of WayForth’s moving solutions? Contact our moving professionals today!