How to Make Visits To Care Homes Easier For Kids?
Visiting a care home environment for the first time can be somewhat daunting for adults, but what about kids? For children, visiting a care home environment to see a grandparent, aunt or uncle, or family friend can be scary, especially when they don’t know what to expect. However, if a loved one has moved into a care home, it’s important that children are still able to see and spend time with them, so it’s a good idea to get to grips with how care home visits can be made easier for children.
Tell them why you’re visiting
Younger children often don’t understand why a visit to a care home is necessary, so it’s a good idea to explain to them why it is important to see whoever is in there. Saying things like "we’re going to visit granny tomorrow because she misses us" or "we’re going to see uncle Mark later because he’s bored on his own and wants to see you". Children need to understand the reason behind a care home visit, as this makes them happier to visit because they know they’re not just going for the sake of it.
Help them understand what to expect
An important part of preparing children to visit a care home is telling them what to expect. You have to remember, children have no idea of what a care home is like and so can be scared the first time that they visit. You need to explain to them what the care home will be like and what the people will be like. It’s also important to explain to them about what their grandparents or aunt or uncle will be like. Say, for example, they are suffering from dementia which is why they’ve ended up in a care home, you need to explain to your child what this means. A great way to do this is with the use of a specialist book like the one that The Ally Bally Bee Project is planning to offer all about what dementia is. For children whose grandparents or another relative are suffering from a health condition like dementia, it can be hard for them to understand why their behaviour has changed. Kids often wonder why grandma or grandpa doesn’t remember them anymore and can be confused and upset by it. However, using a specialist book to help them understand their loved one’s behaviour changes can be incredibly useful, especially before a care home visit.
Take activites for children to do
To ensure that children won’t get bored while visiting their grandparent or another relative in a care home, it’s a good idea to take some activities for them to do. Things like colouring books and pencils, jigsaw puzzles, board games, and small toys are all ideal. It’s important to ensure that visiting grandma in her new care home is a positive experience, which is why it’s so important that children don’t end up getting bored.
For children, visiting a care home for the first time can be scary, which is why it’s so important to ensure it’s a positive experience and that children know what to expect.
