4 Tips For Decorating Your Assisted Living Space
When the time comes to move into an assisted living space, the transition can be challenging for many. Some people may not agree with moving into senior living as they want to maintain their independence.
As such, it’s up to the family members to make sure that the transition goes as smoothly as possible. One of the best ways to make your family member feel safe and at home in their new living space is to decorate it so that it feels like home. Here are five tips for decorating a cozy and personalized assisted living space.
Incorporate Familiar Items
In order to make the new living space feel familiar, bring items that hold sentimental value to your loved one. From personal photographs that bring back happy memories to artwork they’re a fan of, fill up this space with familiar items that give a sense of comfort.
Get your loved one involved in choosing items that they’d like to bring from their previous home, and feel free to incorporate a few of your own. The idea is to inject a sense of familiarity so that even though it’s a new living space it still has elements of home.
Remember Safety
Physical safety may be a concern depending on the health of your loved one. Therefore, it’s important that you prioritize safety by ensuring that all decorations are reasonably placed. In other words, you don’t want to obstruct any pathways or create falling hazards that could lead to an injury.
Opt for tables with rounded edges, and if you decide to add rugs, make sure that they have non-slip pads attached underneath. Typically the assisted living staff will have advice on some of the most common safety hazards and alert you if they see something that could be dangerous.
Add Storage
Some assisted living facilities have less storage space than others. Chances are that your loved one will want to have plenty of room to store their cherished items and belongings. Bringing your own storage ensures that you have enough room for them to store everything they need in the space.
You may want to consider furniture that has built-in storage solutions like beds with drawers, or ottomans you can open and store smaller items like blankets or photo albums.
Add a Bit of Nature
Nothing breathes life into a space like live plants and flowers. Add a little nature to your loved one’s new living space to create a sense of calm. Ideally, you should choose real plants over artificial ones since they can improve air quality and are more visually appealing, however, some can be more difficult to care for than others, so it’s helpful to choose ones that require very little maintenance.
