Ease into Life at Cedarhurst with a Loved One by Your Side

Senior living communities offer a chance for residents to enjoy maintenance-free living, new friendships, and the opportunity to pursue their own definition of wellness. Today’s communities are designed to enhance a healthy and active lifestyle, offering additional assistance or support as needed. It’s no wonder many adults are adding community living into their retirement plans.

But as exciting as moving into a senior living community is, it is just like any move: a big transition. This means that it is common to feel a mix of emotions during the moving and rightsizing process. Those emotions might intensify as the official move date moves closer on the calendar.

Making a change is difficult for all of us, no matter how old we are. However, seniors might find themselves struggling with more than just a change in address. The move to senior living feels unfamiliar. It is common for new Cedarhurst residents to feel a little anxious prior to moving into their new home, in addition to the excitement of anticipating the transition.

We’ve designed a few programs to provide reassurance for new residents as they begin their Cedarhurst lifestyle. Our one-of-a-kind Pair to Prepare program can ease nerves by adding a familiar face to the transition process, and our Cedarhurst Promise* gives a money-back guarantee if the transition isn’t what you hoped it would be.

Why Pair to Prepare?

The teams at Cedarhurst communities are always looking for new ways to support our residents. We do this by asking a lot of questions, listening more than speaking, and observing the challenges that residents might face.

The Move-In Jitters, a.k.a. Relocation Stress

In the past, we noticed that while residents were often a part of the decision to move to their Cedarhurst home, some felt more and more nervous as moving day approached. We found that sometimes they were nervous about how they would make new friends or whether they would feel welcomed by their neighbors. Other times, they were nervous about getting into the routine of community life or about living in a new environment.

This is common, of course, and has even been documented as relocation stress, sometimes referred to as transfer trauma. Relocation stress syndrome can cause increased anxiety, decreased appetite, and even acute confusion during the first few weeks after a move. Fortunately, there are interventions that have been shown to decrease symptoms of relocation stress. 

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The Solution: A Family Affair

The biggest factor in healthy moves? Family involvement. 

Because moving day is already a family affair for most new residents, we decided that having dinner together the first evening in their new home simply wasn’t enough. We wondered what would happen if we invited family members to stay with their loved one for a few days to ease the transition, help the unpacking process, and generally get everyone feeling more settled. 

The Pair to Prepare program was born, and Cedarhurst residents have had more peaceful moves and less relocation stress since it started.

What Is Pair to Prepare?

Pair to Prepare is Cedarhurst’s answer to relocation stress, offering the opportunity for a loved one to stay in the new home of the Cedarhurst resident for up to five days after move-in. With a loved one nearby, helping with the move and transition during those first few days, residents are more relaxed and more open to attending programs and activities right away. 

Family members join in the life of the community with their loved one as they both become more familiar with the team, residents, and community. Both family members and the resident are invited and welcome to attend all meals together in the community dining spaces, including a welcome dinner in the main dining room with the Executive Director. We welcome and encourage new residents and their family members to join in group events and programs and even take a complimentary trip for two to the salon and barbershop.

Loved ones are also there to help finish up the unpacking, deciding which cabinets to put the coffee cups in and where to hang a favorite photo on the wall. Family members are welcome to stay and be a part of the Pair to Prepare program for a few days, though some choose to stay for up to five days before leaving.

Benefits of Pair to Prepare

Since its inception, Pair to Prepare has been a hit among our new residents as well as their family members. In fact, our existing residents love it too, because having a loved one around can sometimes foster new conversations and relationships. Even if new residents do not take advantage of the Pair to Prepare program, they are less nervous as moving day approaches simply because they know the option is there if they need it.

Benefits for Residents

For residents, we have noticed they are less nervous about moving in and more excited, which makes the transition to community living even easier. Residents are also more likely to attend group programs quickly, which gets them off to a great start for meeting new friends and establishing new routines.

Pair to Prepare residents are also more likely to eat well during the transition as they have calm nerves. Even better, residents are more likely to confidently head into the on-site restaurants with their loved one by their side. This can help with making new friends around the dining room table.

Finally, Pair to Prepare residents are less likely to feel disoriented to their new home and new routine after spending those crucial initial days with their loved one beside them.

Benefits for Family Members

As for family members, they love the Pair to Prepare program as well. Family members have found that the program gives them an inside glimpse into daily life at the community, which helps them ask better questions when they visit or call to check in on their loved one later on. Family members also get a unique chance to meet the team members and neighbors who will become a staple in the lives of their loved one.

Get to Know Cedarhurst

Our goal at Cedarhurst is to find new ways to meet the needs of our residents and their family members. Our Pair to Prepare program is just one example of our exclusive programs. The Cedarhurst Promise* is another exclusive offering that gives you and your loved one a 60-day money-back guarantee, which means if you don’t love the Cedarhurst experience within the first few months, we’ll give you your money back.

We are always on the lookout for new programs or innovative initiatives that will serve our residents even better. Learn more about what you might expect living in a Cedarhurst community by checking out our resource, A Day in the Life: Independent Living. We give you a peek into what life could look like when you make Cedarhurst independent living your home.

We would love to show you around a Cedarhurst community near you. You’ll be pleasantly surprised to discover how genuinely friendly our team members are and how fascinating our residents are.

*Cedarhurst Promise™ program is only available at the advertised community. Not applicable for respite or other short-term stays. Refund is available only if move out is a result of dissatisfaction with Cedarhurst community as documented throughout the stay. Complete refund includes base rent, level of care charges, and community fee. Ancillary services fees (ex. additional transportation, pet fees, and laundry charges) do not qualify for a refund. Additional terms and conditions may apply. Please contact the community for additional details. Void where prohibited.