If you have an aging loved one that is moving into an assisted living facility, they may have reservations about leaving their home. However, you can help them transition to the new area by decorating the apartment and encouraging them to enjoy their time. Below is more information about how to make a loved one’s apartment personal and comfortable. 

4 Tips to Make Assisted Living Feel Like Home

1. Decorate Meaningfully

Wall art, heirlooms, and keepsakes from home make assisted living apartments feel warmer and more welcoming. When moving your loved one in, bring their favorite family portraits, artwork, and souvenir to line the walls and shelves. By adding these items throughout the apartment, your loved one will feel more comfortable and connected to their family. 

2. Customize the Area 

Customize the space according to your loved one’s daily routine by creating separate areas for reading, entertaining, and sleeping. Bring furniture from their home and arrange the pieces in their own unique nooks to create the illusion of separate rooms.

For example, place a couch or recliner on one end of the room, and a small dining table and chairs on the other. If the apartment has an open plan, use area rugs to break up the space and distinguish multiple areas.

3. Eat Healthy Comfort Foods

Many assisted living facilities provide healthy, home-cooked meals to residents. This means your loved one will not have to worry about cooking and cleaning, as these activities can become difficult with age. Also, they can choose to eat with other residents, evoking the memory of family dinners.

4. Encourage Social Activities 

Engaging with fellow residents is an excellent way to combat loneliness and feel a neighborly sense of belonging. After moving your loved one in, ask the activities director for a list of upcoming events that they provide. Many facilities offer group exercise, bingo nights, and book clubs to foster socialization between residents.

If you need an assisted living center for an aging loved one that includes all of the comforts of home, contact Hillcrest Assisted Living. This senior living facility, is located in peaceful, pastoral Columbia, MO, and they provide customized elderly care to their residents. Call (573) 696-3201 to ask about vacancies. Visit the website to learn more about their leisure and lifestyle programs.