Adapting To A Senior Living Home With A "Type A" Personality
Although personality types have been split into multiple categories at this point, type A is still a popular category. People who have this personality may have a hard time fitting in with a senior community. However, there are ways in which they can adapt to enjoy their stay. Fully understanding this problem can help a person solve it constructively.
Signs Of A Type A Personality
The first personality types described were type A and type B. Those who have a type A personality are generally possessors of a high level of energy, a high level of self-criticism, and a strong need for control of their environment. Difficulty adapting to an environment in which they may lack control (such as a senior living center) can make it difficult for many to adapt.
Those with a type A personality are likely to be constantly in a sense of time urgency, suffer from high blood pressure, have strong emotional reactions, and have the ability to express their frustration. There is nothing wrong with having a type A personality, but the behaviors that it can cause can make it difficult for a senior to fit in at a care center.
Type A Personalities May Create Conflicts
While people in senior living centers are allowed to come and go as they like, certain aspects of their life will be out of control. For example, they may not be able to choose their dinner and may have certain events scheduled to keep them active. As a result, those with this personality type may end up having conflicts in a senior center.
These conflicts can be as simple as a minor disagreement or can escalate to a physical altercation between people staying at the center. In severe enough situations, it may cause one or more person to leave the center. There's no reason the situation has to get that bad. Managing a type A personality can be done successfully in a senior center.
Calming A Type A Personality
When a senior has a type A personality and is coming into contact with those in the senior center, they need to find a way to calm negative aspects of their personality. This process can be very difficult for someone who is set on their ways. That said, there are many ways to calm the mind. For example, calming music can help soothe their anxiety and make it easier to fit in with their surroundings.
Other activities, such as exercise or writing, can also help. Talking to the people who run the senior center and asking for control of certain situations can also be useful. People with type A personalities like to feel useful, and doing chores or helping out with the cooking may give them the outlet they need to relax and enjoy their new home.