Decorate Your Space: 5 Tips to Make a Senior Living Apartment Feel Like Home
Home is where you feel comfortable, welcomed, and peaceful. It’s where you can sit back and relax and welcome friends and family for happy occasions. And when your home comes with a carefree lifestyle that removes everyday burdens, it is even more special.
Here are a few tips for how to decorate your senior living apartment to make it truly feel like home.
Five tips to decorate your senior living apartment to make it a home sweet home
1. Go lighter. Leave clunky furniture behind, like oversized sofas and big tables. Instead, think easy, light, and comfortable. A love seat. A smaller recliner that’s just as comfy but takes up much less space. Maybe a small dinette set that can replace a dining room table. And consider multi-functional pieces, such as an ottoman with storage or under-the-bed storage. Now’s the time to try something new that unclutters your space so you can move around easily.
As you decorate your senior living apartment, consider lighter colors as well. They’ll open up your apartment and fill it with a relaxing motif. Blue is said to be calming, as well as green, which also can have an uplifting effect. Plus, green can make a room look even bigger. And remember, you can always spice things up a bit with a colorful throw pillow or quilt.
2. Use your walls as your canvas. Now’s a great time to surround yourself with your favorite memories. Photos of favorite vacations, graduations, beloved pets, milestones in your children’s and grandchildren’s lives, pics of you as a cheerleader or fly fishing or whatever makes you smile. Walls are blank canvases for your life. And it’s easy to swap things out occasionally to keep the energy fresh.
3. Give it a natural touch. A well-placed plant or two can lift your mood, clear the air, and help keep you healthy. Maybe a ZZ – Zamioculcas zamiifolia – plant, or a “cast-iron” plant. Consider how much sunlight your residence receives and where a plant would thrive. Bringing nature indoors is soothing and restorative and may even help a person heal faster after a medical procedure.
For all the therapeutic benefits of indoor plants, maybe what matters the most as you decorate your senior living apartment is that they just add a nice natural touch of home.
4. Bring your favorites. A vase that belonged to your grandmother. A painting by your grandchild when she first started school. An autographed baseball you treasure. Be sure to create a place in your new residence where you can see or interact with your mementos. Not only can such cherished items bring back happy memories for you, it’s a great conversation starter when visitors drop by.
5. Create your special places. If you’ve always enjoyed sitting in the corner reading every evening, make a place for that. Think about where your pup likes to lay in the evenings and arrange things so he can still do that and you can easily walk around. If you enjoy watching late-night movies propped up with pillows in bed, put a small television in your bedroom.
Remember, this is your haven, your invitation to enjoy life as you please. So as you decorate your senior living apartment, make it yours.
If you are helping a family member move into a higher level of care:
For loved ones moving into memory care, any of the above tips apply. In addition, bring photos to display on the walls or furniture. Choose photos from their past, such as days on a softball team, dancing recitals, graduations, childhood vacations and so on. Also look for artwork and posters that relate to their best memories, like hiking in the mountains, days on a beach, a trip to Italy, cooking, playing a sport, etc.
Having items with soft textures is also very reassuring for someone with memory issues. Some examples are a soft throw, favorite sweater, or cozy shawl. In addition, scented items like a sachet can help stimulate favorite memories and awaken the senses.
Decorate your senior living apartment to be your new favorite place.
With a little thought, you can create a space that not only feels like home, but also inspires you to engage in all that is now available to you: activities, events, great dining, and lots of new friendships!
Senior living, the LSS Senior Living way
At LSS Senior Living, our goal is to offer seniors quality care and comfort in a friendly and warm environment that feels like home. We offer a continuum of services to lend a helping hand when you need them. Find out more about our communities:
Speak to an advisor today, we’re here to help!