AS (1 bedroom apt vs studio apt)

NUMber2

Hi Wonderful Community-

My husband is wondering if anyone has had this experience:

Your LO lived in a 1+bedroom apt. in AL/SL and then they moved to a studio apt as the disease progressed. If so, did they like the studio better?

Rae4

Hi NUMber2,

My mother was in a one bedroom unit in AL for over a year, and we moved her to a studio at a different AL community about two months ago. At first she kept asking why she was there and if this was all the there was. It didn’t take long for her to adjust to the size of her new space but she still asks why she is there and when she will be going home. The move was very hard on her cognitively and physically. I’ve read many times that a PWD often times declines with a move and she moved twice in three days. At first she moved from AL to memory care but we found within a couple of days that it wasn’t a good fit. Honestly she probably needs to be in MC, but on the same day we moved her into her room a man moved in directly across from her and he was very aggressive and violent and entered her room on day two. Luckily we were there and were able to intervene before anything happened. I wasn’t about to leave her in that environment and fortunately the new community had a studio available in their AL building so we moved her right away. I’ve been very happy with the care she is receiving in the new AL even with the decline.

I say all that just to prepare you for the possibility of some decline with a move even if it’s within the same building.

I wish you the best with your decision. It’s so hard!

Anonymousjpl123

My mom moved from AL (one bedroom, well, really a large studio with alcove) to memory care. It was a huge adjustment but doing my very best to set up her new space as an exact replica of her old space helped a lot. I have found that at this point, things like artwork, photos, books - anything that feels like a touchstone in her life really helps to make her living space bearable.

The size of the space didn’t seem to matter much; of course at first she complained (who wouldn’t, downsizing in that way)? But she easily made it her own.

I wish you luck. These are not easy moves, but planning and keeping as much continuity and little involvement as possible helps a lot. I did the move while my mom was in the hospital.