For many children, a visit to their grandparents can be the highlight of their day. But when Grandma or Grandpa lives in a nursing home, the visits can be a little trickier. A nursing home may seem a lot more like a hospital than a grandparent's house to a small child, and they could be overwhelmed or even frightened by their surroundings. This can make the visit unpleasant for both your child and the loved one that you're visiting. Take a look at some tips that can make your visit a better experience for everyone involved.

Prepare Your Child Ahead of Time

Try to think of the kinds of things your child might see in a nursing home that could upset them. Remember that you won't just be seeing your own relative – in the hallways and common areas of the nursing home, you're likely to encounter other residents. Your loved one may even have a roommate. Will the sight of wheelchairs or medical equipment frighten your child? Do they understand that some residents may be confused, and may mistake your child for someone else when they speak to them?

You can check the children's section of your local library for books about visiting elderly people. Reading and talking about the kinds of things you might see in a nursing home can help your child prepare so that they aren't upset. You should also take the time to remind them about appropriate behavior while they're visiting. For example, you don't want them running in the halls, because if they run into a resident, your child could hurt the resident badly by accident.

Get the Timing Right

Finding a good time for a visit can be hard. You need a time that's convenient for you, and it should also be a time that's good for your child. If your child tends to be cranky when lunch is late or when they miss their afternoon nap, you probably don't want to visit at a time that's going to make them have to wait for their lunch or nap. If your child is full of pent-up energy after school, it might be better not to go straight from school to the nursing home—plan to stop at a playground first and let them use up some of that energy.

Don't forget to make sure that your visit comes at a good time for the person you're visiting as well. It's important to be respectful of your loved one's time while they're in a nursing home. If you wouldn't visit them in their home without setting up the visit ahead of time or at least calling before you come, then it's impolite to visit them without warning in a nursing home—after all, that is their home now.

Plan Something to Do

If your child has something to do that's entertaining to them, they'll feel more comfortable during their visit. And if they have something to do that helps them engage with the person that you're visiting, the visit will be more enjoyable for your child and your loved one. Try to plan something that your child and your loved one can do together during the visit.

You may want to bring some of your child's favorite books for your loved one to read to them. Try to choose books that have large print, especially if you know your relative has eye trouble. Card games and board games are also fun for both children and adults. Or consider bringing a craft activity that you all can do together. If you're really stuck for ideas, call the nursing home's activities director—they'll have an idea of the kinds of things your loved one likes to do, and they may have a group activity coming up that your child can participate in as well.

Visits are very important to nursing home residents, and they often especially love spending time with grandchildren and other young relatives. These visits can also be important memories of a loved one for your child later on. It's worth taking the time to plan these visits so that they can be good experiences for everyone. 

For more tip and advice, contact someone who specializes in senior healthcare services.

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