​Visiting senior loved ones during the holidays

Visiting senior loved ones any time of year carries with it a plethora of important questions to take into consideration. How can I make the most of my visit with my loved ones? What activities and socialization opportunities are taking place in senior living environments? How can I protect my loved one from illness during the colder months? Now, with COVID-19, there are even more questions that may arise when considering a visit with your loved ones living in Assisted Living or memory care communities like Melody Living Lake in the Hills.

Our senior living care team have a few recommendations below to assist you as you plan for your visit this holiday season. However, we do encourage you to feel free to give us a call with any specific questions related to your loved ones living in our care or if you are considering Melody Living as a new home for you or a loved one, we are more than happy to put your mind at ease by sharing our policies and procedures to create a safe and secure environment, year round.

Plan Your Visit Ahead of Time

​Planning a visit well in advance allows for you and your loved one to enjoy an experience that is well thought out, anticipated and comfortable for everyone. As many loved ones are scheduling visits in advance, this also ensures that your visit is on our calendar. Waiting until the last minute, might not ensure a day/time that best fits your schedule or your loved ones’ schedule.

Arrive Prepared

​Our community is doing everything that we can to ensure a safe experience for our community members, staff and visitors. Please create a list of questions now that you can call or email us about so that you can arrive with peace of mind. This also helps set the expectation of what you will experience when you arrive. Please arrive prepared with masks for all entering our building, avoid visiting if you or anyone in your family has been ill or is feeling ill. We do take temperatures and perform wellness checks with all visiting family members ahead of time, so please understand that you may be asked to leave if you appear unwell for the safety of our community members. We also ask that you follow all procedures set forth by our team of care professionals. 

Experience our Visitation Room

​Our community was designed with a visitation room well before COVID-19 ever took place. Which means we are well-equipped with an environment that takes the safety and wellness of you and your loved ones into consideration all the way down to the foundation of our building. When you arrive, you and your loved ones will be directed to our visitation room where you can enjoy spending quality time with your loved one in a safe and private atmosphere. Our room has a clear safety partition that adds an extra layer of reassurance during your visit. 

Personalize Your Visit

We know that things are different now and understand the uncertainty but also the opportunity to creatively celebrate with loved ones during your visits. Here are a few ideas to consider when you visit a loved one during the holidays at Melody Living Lake in the Hills.

• Arrive prepared with stories and updates for your loved ones to enjoy
• Ask your loved one to share what they’ve been up to and what’s on the calendar
• Bring a quick game you can play together safely (ensure to check with the staff)
• Reminiscence on fun memories that you shared together
• Make a family-tradition recipe and bring for them to enjoy
• Have your family make or sign a card with heart-felt notes they can enjoy reading
• Consider a comfort kit with a throw blanket, tea, cookies and a nice book to enjoy
• Bring a selfie stick to take photos of you and your loved one for the holidays and make
• sure to mail them the card once you send them out
• Make a holiday playlist of favorite songs that they can play and enjoy
• Write a “Message a Day” that they can pull from a jar and enjoy with each one written
• by a member of your family that will bring them joy every morning

These are just a few ideas of how to ensure that your visit with a senior loved one during the holidays this year is safe, comfortable and memorable. Every year, the safety and well-being of residents and their loved ones is our top priority, this year just carries a few extra safety precautions and we appreciate your patience and understanding as we all navigate these challenging times together the best that we can.

​For additional questions about our COVID-19 safety policies and procedures or to schedule a visit with your loved one, please contact us directly at (847) 957-7070 or on our contact page here.