The Importance of Relationships

Our entire lives are built around relationships. Each of us has a sphere of influence within which we maintain relationships with family, close friends, casual friends, co-workers, acquaintances and others. These connections meet essential needs in our lives….the need to feel wanted and loved, the need to feel recognized and valued, and the need to feel supported and cared for.

In each of our UMH assisted living communities, we believe that a relationship-centered philosophy best sustains body, mind, and spirit. This simply means that we value relationships and are committed to providing relationship-centered care to every resident we serve. Beyond meeting our residents’ needs in physical ways, such as preparing and serving comforting, nutritious meals or providing a safe and secure environment, we take delight in sharing our lives with them, listening to their stories, and offering some of our own.

An assisted living community should provide a strong sense of community and connection for its residents, offering a lifestyle full of meaning and purpose. In our newest ebook "The ABC's of Assisted Living" we explain why relationships are so important. Learn more about everyday life in a UMH assisted living community and discover some helpful tips that offer insight into the world of senior living options, from A to Z.

Check out this excerpt from our ebook that talks more about the importance of relationships:

R is for Relationships

Relationships are the building blocks of the work that we do every day in caring for seniors. Building relationships takes time, energy, and patience and goes far beyond simply knowing someone’s name. Our relationship-centered philosophy of care at UMH allows our staff to take time to build essential relationships with residents, families, and their co-workers. Our staff build a strong rapport with families and take great pride in the way they know “their” residents.

They commit themselves to getting to know them…..how they take their coffee, what they like to do for fun, when they need a ride to the doctor’s office, and why they feel sad or happy and anything in between! One of the most important things you should observe about any senior living community is the way the staff interact with residents and families.www.umh.org.

Throughout the day, in any of our communities, it is not uncommon to see staff and residents reading the newspaper together, chatting over family photos, taking a stroll outdoors, or “Skyping” with a family member. It is within these daily human interactions that relationships are built, contributing to a sense of “family” within the community.

While many of life’s transitions can bring difficult circumstances and emotions for families, the warm and welcoming interactions of our caring staff help to ease the transition, lessen anxiety, and create an atmosphere of trust. Trust is the foundation of any healthy relationship and when residents and families trust our staff, they have peace of mind…..which is why relationships make all the difference!

About the Author

Marissa Salvesen began working for UMH in 2010, creating meaningful activities and life-enriching experiences for our seniors as an Activities Director at our Middlewoods of Newington Assisted Living Community. Since then, she has taken on multiple roles within the community and currently works as the Marketing and Promotions Manager for UMH, fostering the mission, vision, and values of the organization.

Feel free to download this free resource to find out what the other 25 letters of the alphabet stand for.