You have worked very hard as the primary caregiver for your parent or spouse. But now, after moving them to an Aegis Living community, you can hand over the tasks of cooking, cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, and more to us. Our care staff will tend to your parent’s needs with compassion and dignity. Relieved of the stress of caregiving, you will be more relaxed to enjoy the company of your parent and spending time together as a family.
Visitors are always welcome in our assisted living communities—especially the energy that children or pets can bring. With a little preparation and a few creative ideas, there are plenty of ways to share quality time together in an assisted living community. Take advantage of the events and activities that the community plans.
“We love to include family and friends in our activities and events at our communities,” says Chris Corrigall, Vice President of Life Enrichment at Aegis Living. “Our hard-working Life Enrichment Directors plan and schedule creative activities that often appeal to multiple generations. We welcome your participation, especially grandchildren who bring joy to all of our residents.”
Our Aegis Living communities welcome guests during mealtimes. We suggest you contact your community ahead of your visit to reserve a spot for lunch or afternoon tea. Consider dining al fresco when the sun is shining or bring your son or daughter to share an after-school snack or smoothie with their grandparent. Dining with your parent is also a good time for your children to practice their best table manners and dining etiquette.
Our Life Enrichment Directors are experts at planning daily activities and special events for our residents throughout the year. Many craft projects, cooking classes, exercise programs, games, or local day trips have multi-generational appeal. We suggest that you contact your community Life Enrichment Director to propose an event or activity appropriate for you and your child to participate with your parent. Your parent will love sharing time as a family, and our other residents will enjoy the enthusiasm and energy of your children.
When the weather cooperates, go outside! Enjoy benches on the grounds of our communities, bring the dog to walk around the block together, or take your loved one to a nearby park. If you are visiting with your children, bring a game of croquet, a bottle of bubbles, or a ball to toss to keep them entertained. If you are heading outside to enjoy the day, remember to bring sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses.
Just like you once did in grade school, bring a special object to the community to share. Share a short story about why the object is important or unique. Storytelling is an excellent way to share memories and to communicate. If you have a young child or grandchild, have them bring a favorite stuffed animal with them to introduce to the staff and other residents they meet.
With minimal mess, coloring is the perfect project for children and adults alike. Whether you are just learning to hold a crayon or have years of colorful experience, a pile of crayons, pens, and colored pencils can make for a beautiful afternoon of art. Adult coloring books are now trendy and offer a range of creative options, or a simple stack of white paper allows the imagination to run wild. Enjoy time creating your masterpieces together.
There is no age limit to laughter, and a great way to start the fun and giggles is by playing a game together. For smaller children, we suggest old favorites like Go Fish or Memory. Teens may benefit from learning more challenging games like chess, cribbage, or bridge from a grandparent. Consider purchasing a unique game that stays in your parent’s apartment that is only played during your visits. This exclusive game will give something for your child and parent to look forward to playing together.
Like the special game, find a popular book that is kept in their assisted living apartment. Share a chapter together from this book each time you visit their home. Books are a wonderful way to transcend the gap between generations. Many seniors will enjoy hearing classic stories again such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or The Chronicles of Narnia. Classic books that they may have once read to you as a child are wonderful memories after all these years.
If your parent has dementia, many of these same ideas will apply to a visit with them. Find a comfortable spot without distraction, determine the best time of the day for your visit, and adjust your expectations appropriately if they are tired or having a bad day. Being flexible and finding meaningful ways to connect through music, old photographs, comfort foods, or just holding their hand will enrich your visit.
You may have seen the life skill stations in our Aegis Living memory care communities. We suggest interacting with these on your next visit. These are small vignettes that represent a space in time for your parent to revisit. They can watch episodes from The Joy of Cooking in our Julia Child’s kitchenette, polish the bumper of a vintage car, or visit a virtual lake cottage similar to your family vacations. These life stations are meant to ignite fond memories such as raising children or having a sense of purpose like waiting at the bus stop to head off to work. Use the props within our life skill stations to unlock memories or share stories together.
Visiting your loved one in an assisted living community is not only good to share quality time with them, but an opportunity to meet the care staff, their new friends and neighbors, and other families. There is no prescribed duration of time for a visit. Keep in mind, their energy level and how you are feeling during the visit. Your loved one will welcome the visit from a familiar face, and you can be reassured they are good hands.
Respite Stays & Day Stays give family caregivers a real break—hours, days, or a few weeks—while your loved one enjoys a safe, enriching short‑term home at Aegis Living. Guests settle into a beautifully furnished private apartment and have 24/7 care staff and onsite nurses, medication management, and discreet safety technology (motion sensors, medical‑alert pendants, visitor check‑in) for peace of mind. Each day feels purposeful with chef‑prepared, all‑day dining and 200+ monthly activities—from book clubs and fitness classes to movie nights—plus full use of the community. We coordinate with your loved one’s physicians to mirror their routines and care, so the stay feels familiar. It’s also a smart trial run for senior living: meet neighbors, test services, and see what supported independence looks like—without a long‑term commitment. Choose a Respite Stay when you’re traveling or need time to recharge, when your loved one would benefit from structure, social connection, and great meals, or when you both want peace of mind while keeping options open.
Hospice & End‑of‑Life Care at Aegis Living is comfort‑first support for the final stage of life, delivered in your loved one’s private apartment by our 24/7 care team in coordination with a trusted local hospice provider you choose (or we can recommend). Together, we create a coordinated care plan that manages pain and other symptoms, oversees medications, and provides calm, dignified help with daily needs, while offering compassionate emotional support for both resident and family. Discreet safety measures and a reliable medical‑alert system bring help quickly; chef‑prepared, in‑apartment meals adapt to changing appetites. Families are guided through decisions and moments of closure so they can focus on being present in a peaceful, home‑like setting. If your loved one already lives at Aegis, they can remain in the comfort of their home, avoiding disruptive moves. Choose this level of care when curative treatment is no longer the goal and you want expert symptom control, hands‑on daily support, and a setting that protects dignity and prioritizes comfort, meaning, and time together.
Memory Care is specialized, secure support for people living with Alzheimer’s or other dementias who benefit from a calm, structured environment and round‑the‑clock expertise. At Aegis Living, that care happens in Life’s Neighborhood—an intimate, thoughtfully designed setting where 24/7 dementia‑trained caregivers and a nursing team on site seven days a week deliver personalized help with daily living, medication management, and mobility (including Hoyer lifts and two‑person transfers), while gently redirecting agitation and confusion. Days are purpose‑filled with science‑based cognitive programming, certified music therapy, and social activities; chef‑prepared meals are easy to enjoy and dining spaces and cues are designed for memory support. Discreet safety features like secured entrances, emergency pendants with fall detection, and optional motion sensors, prevent wandering and bring peace of mind, and visiting physicians and wellness professionals reduce trips off‑site. Families receive education and ongoing support. If your loved one is unsafe alone, missing medications, wandering, needs frequent cueing or hands‑on help with bathing or dressing, or thrives with a predictable routine, Memory Care offers the right level of care. For milder needs, our transitional Assisted Living can be a first step; for advancing symptoms, secured Memory Care provides the specialized, heartfelt support to help them feel calm, connected, and at home.