If your loved one is transitioning to an assisted living or memory facility, you are likely wondering, “What personal belongings would help with my loved one’s comfort?” By choosing certain items, you can work to facilitate the adjustment process, helping them feel secure and at home in their new living situation. Personal belongings can serve as a strong link between home and care, providing both a sense of self and emotional well-being.
Favorite Comfort Items and Bedding
Items that are soft and plush, such as a large pillow, familiar blanket, or favorite quilt, can give a sense of safety and security to your loved one. Not only can these soft and warm items recreate the environment of their previous home, they can also improve the quality of a resident’s sleep. To add extra reassurance and emotional support, throw in fuzzy slippers, a cozy robe, or a childhood stuffed animal.
Personal Mementos and Photos
To create a familiar and comforting atmosphere, photos of family, friends, and significant life moments are crucial. By showcasing these photos in albums or frames, your loved one can revisit familiar memories and happy faces regularly, sparking fond recollections. Personal mementos can also help your loved one maintain a connection with their intimate life story, such as travel souvenirs, letters from loved ones, and awards.
If your senior has memory challenges, memory aids like calendars, familiar household items, and labeled photo frames can be a practical tool to help foster their mental well-being.
Personal Hygiene Items
Your loved one can garner a sense of comfort from textures and scents that are familiar to them. Therefore, including their favorite shampoos, soaps, colognes, and lotions can bring a sense of control and familiarity to their daily routines, helping them work toward a broader feeling of comfort and dignity.
Hobbies and Entertainment
By bringing items that are related to pastimes or hobbies that your loved one prefers, you can ensure their mental enjoyment and progression. Anything that can help maintain a sense of normalcy and joy, such as art materials, knitting supplies, books, and magazines, can help keep your loved one engaged throughout the day. Consider bringing a small radio or playlist of their favorite songs to evoke a sense of identity and happiness through music.
Elements of Decoration
An assisted living room doesn’t have to be drab and boring. Bring decorative features, like lamps, clocks, or a preferred piece of wall art, to bring back the feeling and look of your loved one’s previous home. These items can immediately transform a more generic room into a personal paradise. Soft lighting and biophilic elements, like plants, can bring life and warmth to any living space.
Clothing That Holds Sentimental Value
Bring practical and familiar clothing items that ensure your loved one’s comfort and help them maintain a strong sense of identity and personal style. A favorite scarf, hat, or sweater can go a long way, as familiar textures or textiles can serve as a positive memory aid.
Work With Your Care Team
When bringing items that foster your relative’s sense of comfort, dignity, and identity, the social worker in charge of their case can provide crucial insights. If you are stuck about what to bring, reach out to a care team member—they can give you detailed advice so your loved one can feel at home.
FAQs
Q: What Types of Personal Belongings Are Ideal for Enhancing Comfort?
A: The types of personal belongings that are ideal for enhancing comfort in an assisted living facility are unique to each individual, including their history and preferences. Items that can provide a sense of emotional comfort and empower loved ones to feel more at home include cherished objects, favorite books, family photos, and familiar pillows or blankets. An experienced staff member from your loved one’s care team can help you brainstorm further ideas.
Q: Should I Bring Clothing From Home?
A: Yes, it is encouraged to bring familiar and comfortable clothing from home for your loved one in assisted living. By wearing clothing that is familiar to them, they can feel more at ease, particularly if the clothing has sentimental value or significance to them. If you are unsure about particular clothing items they may prefer, be sure to ask your loved one if they are missing anything, and bring clothing that is appropriate for the climate.
Q: How Can Personal Belongings Help With Memory Care?
A: Personal belongings can significantly assist with the memory care of an individual struggling with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia by triggering moments of clear positive memories. Familiar items, such as songs, photo albums, or family heirlooms, can help individuals who are experiencing memory loss create a familiar and comforting routine.
Q: Are There Any Restrictions on What I Can Bring to a Care Facility?
A: Restrictions on what you can bring to a care facility are dependent on the specific facility where your loved one is being housed. As there may be rules regarding the types of belongings that are permissible, it’s important to check with staff members or the point of contact for your loved one’s care team before bringing any potentially hazardous or large items to the care home.
Q: Can I Bring Electronic Devices for My Loved One?
A: Yes, as a general rule, electronic devices like radios or tablets are permissible to bring to your loved one in assisted living. These devices can not only be entertaining for your loved one, but they can also be mentally stimulating and serve as a means for them to communicate with you and other friends and family members. Make sure any devices you bring are straightforward to use and align with their needs.
Create a Comforting and Familiar Living Experience for Your Loved One
At Rocky Mountain Assisted Living, our experienced care team understands the importance of making your loved one feel not only comfortable but also as if they are truly at home. We are eager to work closely with you to understand your senior’s needs and background. That way, we can design an experience that maximizes their comfort and well-being. Contact us today so we can discuss how your loved one can feel safe and supported in their new home.