Make a Nursing Home Feel More Like Home
Moving to a nursing home is rarely an easy transition for the person going in, or those that love him. Having to make a move that is not of hischoice often causes the person to lash out, withdraw or become depressed. There are things that family members can do to help their loved one feel more at home in the new environment.
Instructions
1. Bring in the favorite chair that your loved one enjoys relaxing in, if it is allowed by the nursing home he is moving into. Typically all residents of the nursing home must sleep in the hospital bed provided by the home, but it is acceptable to have the standard chair in the room removed and replace it with your own. Having a comfortable familiar chair helps to make the adjustment easier.
2. Decorate the walls of the room with items that are familiar to the resident. Hang a few favorite paintings or pictures taken from the walls of her home.
3. Place pictures of family members around the room to surround the nursing home resident with people he is familiar with even when no one is visiting. This is also helpful if he is suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's to help him remember the faces of .
4. Add curtains and bedding in her favorite color if policies allow. A rug can also help to make a nursing home feel more like home, but they are not usually a good idea because of the fear of tripping and falling.
5. Place a small refrigerator in the resident's rooms, if that is allowed, and stock it with her favorite snacks and beverages so she can help herself to something in between meals. Be sure to keep health needs and conditions in mind when choosing what to put in the refrigerator.
6. Provide a television and a radio in the room of your loved one to help him to feel more at home. A VCR or DVD player and some of his favorite movies and shows recorded on appropriate media also helps to pass the time.
Tags: family members, nursing home, feel more, Feel More, feel more home