Helping your loved one transition to assisted living is an emotional time and you likely want to help make his or her new nursing home room feel comfortable and homey. Some nursing homes already have a friendly, neighborhood feel while other facilities are set up like a hospital.
Depending on the style of the place where your loved one is moving, you may need to make more changes and adjustments to their new room.
Help downsize to the new space
Space is limited in your loved one’s new assisted living room so you will need to help sift through their possessions. This process will require a lot of patience but by asking what personal belongings are most important to keep, you can deduce which keepsakes will remain in the family and what you can donate or put in storage.
Your loved one might feel overwhelmed parting with their tangible history, but you can offer reassurance by letting him or her know what you are going to store or rehome.
Add plenty of cozy touches
If you have permission to furnish the nursing home room, make sure to bring your loved one’s favorite furniture such as a well-loved armchair. Arrange the room so it is easily navigable and not too cluttered. Cozy touches like blankets, throw pillows, curtains and a nice mattress go a long way.
Bring many mementos from home so your loved one feels comfortable in the personalized space. You can create a shelf or hutch filled with collectibles, awards, photos, books and other life treasures. Pieces of art and family pictures look great displayed on the walls and will make the surroundings more familiar.
