Create the Feel of Home

            This advice is for everyone who stays at Homeplace, including residents who are not 100% sure they will stay here long-term. Many will often stay here after a rehabilitation stint, with the intent of going back home soon. Though it may only be for the short term, we want these residents to bring some personal items. It might be a bedspread or a favorite collectible. Most likely the resident will have pictures of family, friends, or pets they hold dear. And of course, the residents will need his toiletries. The furnished apartments for our short-term residents, include a full-size bed, nightstand, dresser, lamp, recliner, flat screen television, and custom-built cabinets in the kitchen. There are plenty of options for decoration.  

            We want Homeplace to feel like home. The more it feels like home to our residents, the more they will enjoy their life here. Part of that is on us—we give our residents the best in care and facilities. But we can’t do it all. We need residents’ and families’ help. We need residents, or family members, to bring special items from an elder loved one’s own home to decorate their Homeplace room. Research shows that residents are happier when they have pieces of their own home with them.  

            Similarly, we want our long-term assisted living residents to bring special items from home, but with this population, we also encourage bigger items, such as a favorite loveseat, couch, or recliner. Assisted living apartments are spacious, but not spacious enough to bring all a resident’s furniture from home. We suggest finding one or two favorite pieces.

            For both short-term and long-term residents in assisted living, we want them to create a space that is meaningful. We want both to have pieces in their rooms that are conversation starters so that they can talk about their loved ones and feel the warmth of their love. 

            With our memory care residents, our advice is a bit different. We know that they are creatures of habit, so we want their Homeplace bedroom and bathroom to look and feel as much like those rooms at their own home. Sometimes a memory care resident can grow agitated if, for example, his Bible is not in its normal spot, or if the lamp is on the wrong side of her bed. She may also get frustrated that her jewelry is not laid out like she’s used to. 

            Our best advice on how to do remedy this? Take a picture of your elder loved one’s bedroom and bathroom. Then when the resident moves to Homeplace, try to duplicate that picture as much as possible. When the resident is lying in bed, the room should feel as much like her own bedroom.  

            For memory care residents, any change is detrimental. Moving from home to Homeplace might be difficult. But if family can help re-create the look and feel of what the resident is used to, the transition will occur more smoothly and your elder loved one will feel more comfortable. 

            We want Homeplace to feel like home. The more it feels like home to our residents, the more they will enjoy their life here. Part of that is on us—we give our residents the best in care and facilities. But we can’t do it all. We need residents’ and families’ help. We need residents, or family members, to bring special items from an elder loved one’s own home to decorate their Homeplace room. Research shows that residents are happier when they have pieces of their own home with them.  

            This advice is for everyone who stays at Homeplace, including residents who are not 100% sure they will stay here long-term. Many will often stay here after a rehabilitation stint, with the intent of going back home soon. Though it may only be for the short term, we want these residents to bring some personal items. It might be a bedspread or a favorite collectible. Most likely the resident will have pictures of family, friends, or pets they hold dear. And of course, the residents will need his toiletries. The furnished apartments for our short-term residents, include a full-size bed, nightstand, dresser, lamp, recliner, flat screen television, and custom-built cabinets in the kitchen. There are plenty of options for decoration.  

            Similarly, we want our long-term assisted living residents to bring special items from home, but with this population, we also encourage bigger items, such as a favorite loveseat, couch, or recliner. Assisted living apartments are spacious, but not spacious enough to bring all a resident’s furniture from home. We suggest finding one or two favorite pieces.

            For both short-term and long-term residents in assisted living, we want them to create a space that is meaningful. We want both to have pieces in their rooms that are conversation starters so that they can talk about their loved ones and feel the warmth of their love. 

            With our memory care residents, our advice is a bit different. We know that they are creatures of habit, so we want their Homeplace bedroom and bathroom to look and feel as much like those rooms at their own home. Sometimes a memory care resident can grow agitated if, for example, his Bible is not in its normal spot, or if the lamp is on the wrong side of her bed. She may also get frustrated that her jewelry is not laid out like she’s used to. 

            Our best advice on how to do remedy this? Take a picture of your elder loved one’s bedroom and bathroom. Then when the resident moves to Homeplace, try to duplicate that picture as much as possible. When the resident is lying in bed, the room should feel as much like her own bedroom.  

            For memory care residents, any change is detrimental. Moving from home to Homeplace might be difficult. But if family can help re-create the look and feel of what the resident is used to, the transition will occur more smoothly and your elder loved one will feel more comfortable. 

To contact the Homeplace of Henderson, email Jessica Beaven at jessica.beaven@homeplaceofhenderson.com or call at (270) 577-0534. 

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