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Creating a Homely Atmosphere in Assisted Living Communities

Written by Discovery Senior Living | Feb 7, 2025 5:00:00 AM

According to publications in Mental Health America, creating a healthy home environment promotes calmness and control. A comfortable and personalized living space can help seniors feel more at home, especially when moving to assisted living communities.

Here, we'll discuss the ins and outs of personalizing senior spaces for a more welcoming assisted living atmosphere. Read on for some senior care comfort tips that can help you or a loved one thrive.

Choose a Comfortable Community

The first step toward creating a great atmosphere in assisted living communities is to live somewhere comfortable. Some communities lack quality amenities, and avoiding those is important for both your mental and physical well-being.

Instead, focus on finding a Bellefonte community that offers:

  • Comfortable furniture
  • Ample lighting
  • Large windows for natural light
  • Carpeted flooring
  • Warm-colored walls
  • HVAC units in each room
  • Window treatments
  • Closet and storage space

You also should ensure there are in-room accessibility and safety features like:

  • Illuminated entryways in apartments
  • Smoke detectors and sprinkler systems
  • Grab bars to prevent falls
  • Low countertops for wheelchair accessibility
  • No-slip mats in bathrooms and showers
  • Railings and grip bars in showers
  • Wide doorways for walker and wheelchair access
  • Open spaces in apartments for easy navigation

This is important when creating a homely atmosphere because seniors will feel comfortable in their space. They won't need to worry about a cold, unwelcoming atmosphere.

Accessible amenities also decrease stress by lowering the risk of injury. Residents can personalize and enjoy their rooms while at ease.

Bring Personal Items to Assisted Living Communities

When moving into assisted living communities, it's important to bring things from home along. The transition becomes easier due to this familiarity and comfort.

Campbell Place Assisted Living has gorgeous amenities and quality furniture. New residents can bring in small furniture items like chairs and coffee tables, but it isn't strictly necessary.

Instead, seniors should consider bringing their favorite cushions for the pre-existing chairs and accents to add to the surface of desks and countertops. Some home decor items to pack for senior living include:

  • Sofa cushions
  • Rugs
  • Floor mats
  • Vases
  • Dishware
  • Clocks

New residents may also want to bring personal items for comfort and entertainment. Pack things like:

  • Physical books
  • eReaders
  • Video gaming systems
  • Laptop computers
  • Tablets
  • Arts and crafts kits
  • Comfort objects like blankets
  • Meditation mats

To avoid forgetting anything important, older adults and their loved ones should sit down and decide what's coming to the community. Together, they can create a moving checklist to ensure that nothing is forgotten.

This creates a homely atmosphere by adding a personal touch to the space.

Add Your Own Artwork From Home

Personal keepsakes and accents are important when moving into an assisted living community. But seniors should also prioritize choosing artwork from their homes and displaying it around their resort-style apartments.

Wall artwork to consider bringing might include:

  • Framed photographs of loved ones
  • Framed paintings and canvas paintings
  • Metal wall decor that hangs on hooks
  • Floating shelves that display smaller photographs and art pieces

Artistic home decor is also important. You can set trinkets and decorative accents on tabletops and shelving, including:

  • Vases
  • Decorative bowls and plates
  • Dolls and statues
  • Small sculptures
  • Pottery
  • Crocheted items

Much like personal items, artwork can provide a sense of familiarity to seniors moving into a new situation. Plus, since looking at art fosters new ways of thinking and increases blood flow to the pleasure centers in the brain, it can help keep older adults sharp in their golden years.

Decorate in Fresh New Ways

Bringing personal items and artwork from home doesn't mean that all decor needs to stay the same! Seniors can make their space feel fresh and new by arranging it in new ways.

For example, residents can spruce things up by rearranging the positions of artwork on their walls. If one painting sat across from their bed at home while another sat beside their nightstand, they may want to switch things up.

Seniors won't just have the chance to look at art in new ways when personalizing senior spaces. It also can significantly impact mood and overall well-being.

The human brain craves variety. Rearranging a room can:

  • Improve creativity
  • Boost mood
  • Increase focus
  • Make people feel motivated
  • Give people energy to attend events and try new things

It also might reflect life changes like moving into a senior community. A new era of life means a fresh way to live!

Bring a Furry Friend Along for Senior Community Life

Many seniors choose to add plants and flowers to their apartment decor in assisted living communities. However, for some people, this still isn't enough life in the space. That's where pets come into play!

Some older adults are reluctant to enter a senior community because they don't want to leave beloved pets behind. Luckily, they can have their cake and eat it too at the best Bellefontaine community. We're 100% pet-friendly!

Our compassionate care experts don't just let residents care for their cats and dogs inside their apartments. They also are excited to show seniors pet-friendly amenities like outdoor dog relaxation spaces.

Pets can provide comfort and companionship unlike anything else. They're important members of the family. This allows seniors to have constant engagement with a four-legged loved one so they don't feel lonely.

Cats and dogs also give seniors a sense of purpose. Feeding and playing with them helps residents feel motivated to get out of bed in the morning.

Playing with beloved animals is something to look forward to, and there's nothing like looking forward to cuddling with a beloved pet in the evenings.

Invest in the Best Assisted Living in Bellefontaine, OH

Now that you know how seniors can create a homely atmosphere in assisted living communities, it's time to start personalizing senior spaces.

The first step toward doing this is to find a welcoming assisted living community with compassionate care professionals. Campbell Place Assisted Living is committed to helping Bellefontaine seniors thrive in a lively community setting, so contact us to learn more about our calendar events and amenities!