When it comes to putting your parents or loved ones into an assisted living facility, for you, it means them having healthy meals, living close to other peers, and being able to have a fresh start, but to them, it means starting over, not being in control of their freedom, etc. Even though you are doing what’s best for your loved ones, to them, this can be a very stressful time, so it’s your job to make sure this transition is done as easily and comfortably as possible.
Check out this list below of things you can do to help their nursing home rooms feel like home.
- First things first, get your loved one a calendar and put all of the important dates, such as birthdays, family events, etc., to help keep them in sync with the family. If they are tech savvy, then you can just set up their calendar through Google. That way, Google will store all of that information in the right spots. Also, you can share events with them without having to physically be at the nursing facility to do it.
- Bring their favorite chair so they can relax and feel like they did when they were relaxing at home. Making sure they are physically comfortable will help them get more mentally prepared to get used to the nursing home. In some cases, people don’t have the most comfortable chairs at home, but they still seem to feel a sense of comfort from just being in the place they call home. So, bringing their favorite chair or a chair they have always wanted will be that little something that makes them feel right at home.
- Decorate their rooms with old family photos and some artwork they had hanging on their walls at home. This is especially great for those suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia to help them remember the faces of their many family members.
- Put a small refrigerator in their room and fill it with all of their favorite snacks (only the ones that are still acceptable for them to eat). For most people, small things can remind them of home.
- Get the whole family together and decide a good day to go and visit at least twice a month, if not more. This way they will always feel like they are at home versus that everyone is forgetting about them.
- Provide a television and radio so they can watch their favorite shows or listen to music that reminds them of home. This is important because these things can remind them of old memories, happier times, loved ones, etc.