Have you ever stopped to think about what your relatives really need in a nursing home? I didn't use to worry so much about what my family members needed in their later years, but a few months ago it occurred to me that it was time to make some changes. I started realizing that there were some serious issues with the way that my family was living, so I talked with them about the possibility of finding a nursing home. They were a little nervous about the concept at first, but after I found a great facility they really responded well to treatment. Check out this blog for great tips on recognizing nursing care needs early.
Memory care facilities, often also referred to as Alzheimer's care facilities are designed to assist people who are experiencing various forms of memory loss and need specialized care and attention. When moving a loved one from their home to a memory care facility, you will want to prepare their room for them carefully. A well-prepared room will help with the transition and help your loved one feel more comfortable in the space.
Tip #1: Add Labels to Everything
As you prepare the items you will take to the memory care facility, you will want to add labels to everything you are moving. You can stick their name into clothing, use stickers, or write on items with permanent markers.
It is important to label everything, as people with dementia often don't know what belongs to them and what doesn't belong to them. Your loved one could carry an item out of the room, set it down, and misplace it. With a label, that item will make it back to their room. Or another resident could remove an item from your loved one's room, thinking it is their item. With a label on the item, it will eventually make its way back to your loved one's room.
Tip #2: Make Copies of Family Photographers
Second, it is a good idea to put up pictures and bring photo albums for your loved one's space. With all the pictures you bring to the memory care unit, you will want to make sure that you have copies of the photographs. Your loved one could easily misplace a photo or damage it without realizing it. By having copies of all the pictures, you put in your loved one's room, you will be able to easily replace any picture that gets damaged or goes missing without losing out on a precious memory.
Tip #3: Make Some Activity Boxes
If your loved one has certain activities that they really enjoyed doing, make an activity box with items so that your loved one can engage in that activity. An activity box will help keep all of the items your loved one needs together and easy to access, and they will not have to try to figure out what they need when they want to engage in an activity they enjoy. For example, you could have a knitting box with needles, yarn, and a pattern for them to follow. Or you could have a music box filled with their favorite music that they like listening to. Or the box could be a little more creative, like a box with checks and a checkbook to balance for someone who used to be an accountant.
Tip #4: Create a Feeling of Home
You will want to work to create a feeling of home in your loved one's space. Bring items and decorations that will make them feel at home. For example, if they have had the same quilt on their bed for the past two decades, put that on their bed in the memory care facility. You will not be able to bring everything from home but bring things that you know are meaningful and that they will recognize to make the space feel cozy and comfortable.
Reach out to a professional for more information about what to bring to a memory care center.