When you’re trying to decide the best place for your older loved one, you might worry not only about where they can take better care of their health but also about your loved one residing in a warm and welcoming environment.
It’s a tough choice, balancing what they need for their health with what would make them feel happy and comfortable.
Regarding this, nursing homes can seem a bit clinical, which might make you want to find ways to make the place feel cozier and more homey for your loved one.
We want to help you with that. So we’ll talk about practical things you can do to make a nursing home room feel more like a safe and comfortable place for your senior, where they can feel secure and content.
Why Nursing Home Rooms Sometimes Make You Feel Far From Home
People tend to associate nursing homes with cold, hospital-like spaces that make seniors and other convalescent people feel away from home, and that may not contribute to their residents’ psychological well-being.
Though a typical nursing home is designed to prioritize the safety, comfort, and well-being of its residents, it might be true that distribution, decor, and the general ambiance of nursing home rooms can feel cold and impersonal.
The same elements that make a nursing home room safe and functional for people with several types of illnesses can contribute to a less homey atmosphere.
For example, the layout of such facilities is organized to ensure easy navigation and accessibility for residents with varying mobility levels, but sometimes this can make the space too open, leaving wide areas without any furniture or decoration.
Furthermore, nursing home rooms are equipped with safety features, including handrails, call buttons, and non-slip flooring, to prevent accidents and ensure the security of residents, but if there’s no other furniture around, the rooms may look and feel as if functionality is all that matters.
Another concern when it comes to nursing home rooms is the issue of privacy and safety. Federal law and state policies, such as those in Texas, Illinois, and Washington, continue to evolve, enabling residents to enjoy a sense of privacy while ensuring that facilities uphold their legal obligations.
In states like Louisiana, the rights of nursing home residents to use cameras in their rooms have been established, providing an added layer of security against potential abuse and neglect.
The facility’s privacy policy should be available on its website, allowing residents and their family members to view and understand the practices that are in place to protect their loved one
How You Can Make a Nursing Home Room Feel More Homey
Depending on the size of the nursing home and if their managers have ways to respond to their residents’ concerns, you or your loved one may ask the staff to make changes to create warmer and more welcoming spaces throughout the residence, but where you can focus most of your efforts is in your loved one’s private room.
You can make a nursing home room feel more homey for your loved one by incorporating personalized touches and creating a familiar and comforting ambiance. Consider the following strategies:
- Family Visits: Nothing will make your senior feel in a more familiar environment than their own family. Studies show that regular family visits reduce the rate of depression for older adults receiving care outside the home. So, encourage regular visits from family and friends to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere, fostering social connections and emotional support for your elderly loved one.
- Familiar Decor: Bring in familiar items from your senior’s home, such as cherished photographs, favorite blankets, or familiar artwork, to evoke a sense of nostalgia and create a personal touch within the room.
- Cozy Bedding: Use comfortable and familiar bedding in your loved one’s room, including soft pillows, cozy blankets, and familiar sheets, to create a comfortable sleeping space reminiscent of home.
- Warm Lighting: Utilize soft, warm lighting in the space, such as bedside lamps or string lights, to create an inviting atmosphere that promotes relaxation and comfort.
- Personal Mementos: Display your senior’s mementos, such as keepsakes, trophies, or special collectibles, to infuse the room with memories and reminders of their significant life moments.
- Favorite Scents: Introduce familiar scents through the use of scented candles, potpourri, or essential oil diffusers to evoke a sense of comfort and familiarity, creating a soothing environment.
- Comfortable Seating: Include a comfortable and inviting chair or recliner, along with soft cushions and throws, to provide a cozy space for relaxation and leisure activities.
By incorporating these elements, you can often transform a nursing home room into a space that not only meets your loved one’s practical needs but also fosters a sense of familiarity, comfort, and emotional well-being, creating a truly homey environment.
Health Support Outside of a Nursing Home Room
If you feel there’s only so much you can do to make your loved one less estranged by the environment of a nursing home, there’s an alternative that can meet your senior’s health care necessities and, at the same time, provide them with a homey and cozy environment that contributes to their emotional well-being.
A premium caregiving agency, such as Amy’s Eden, can provide personalized services focusing on seniors with particular healthcare demands.
We have several modalities of care that we can adapt to the particular needs of your beloved senior, both medical and related to their lifestyle, such as:
- Chronic Condition Management
- Memory and Alzheimer’s Care
- Post-Operative Care
- Palliative and End-Of-Life Care
Amy’s Eden Offers Premium Nursing Home Type Care in Reno and Carson City, NV
Amy’s Eden is a premium senior care provider and one of the best in Carson City and Reno, NV.
We’ve been honing our care offer for more than fifteen years, and now we have a wide range of services focused on seniors with specific healthcare needs that we meet in homey and cozy places that feel like a second home, or in your loved one’s known and loved space.
All our services can be personalized to your senior’s particular health condition, their preferences, and the lifestyle they like to lead.
In this way, we’ve been able to help hundreds of seniors in Nevada with conditions from diabetes to Alzheimer’s remain happy and healthy while they enjoy their golden years in familiar home settings.
All our care varieties include caregiving routines to make sure your elderly loved one is constantly supported:
- Medication Management
- Symptom Monitoring
- Lifestyle Support
- Coordination with Healthcare Professionals
- Education and Empowerment
- Emotional Support
We are looking forward to being your ally in keeping your elderly relative or friend healthy, safe, and happy.
Please, contact us today, and let’s talk about how we can best team up with your senior’s best interest in mind.
Learn more: Beyond the Nursing Home Definition: 4 Things You Must Know to Choose the Perfect One
