Transferring into a care home can be an emotionally charged period for both the residents and their relatives. Having said that, this change can be turned into a positive experience with the following basic recommendations: See how we can help Find Out more
CUSTOMISE THEIR BEDROOM AND KEEP IT HOMELY.
Place familiar objects around your loved one’s room, such as photographs, ornaments or a favourite chair. This will make their room feel more like home and help them settle in much quicker.
PACK THE BEST OUTFITS AND TOILETRIES.
Try and bring your loved one ample outfits and toiletries for at least 2 full weeks. Keep in mind to put a name tag on each item of clothing so that they don’t get mingled up with the washing of other individuals’ in the laundry room. Try to pack toiletries that your loved one usually uses at home as the familiar smells will help your relative in the settling in process.
OFFER THE STAFF LOTS OF INFORMATION.
The staff at the care home want to help make your relative’s move into the care home as beneficial as feasible. So, just before your loved one moves in, give the care home work force some information about your relative’s life so they can use this to create a relationship with their new resident as quickly as possible. This will also help the resident feel more at home if they are able to have chats with the staff about special events in their life.This information could be in the form of highlights about your loved one, or a short story about them as well as photographs of them with family members. Things to incorporate could be: Where did they grow up? When and where did they get married? How many children and grandchildren do they have? What was their occupation?
SPEND TIME AT THE PROPERTY BEFORE THEY MOVE IN.
Care home crew often say that residents settle in faster and loved ones feel more assured if they spend some time at the care home before moving in. This can prompt your relative to get to know staff members and other residents and get to know the every day schedules before they move in. This protects against the change from being too much of a shock to the system.
BE THERE FOR THEM WHENEVER THEY MAKE THE MOVE.
On the day of the move give yourself sufficient time to do what ever comes up and be prepped to stay for the day. Attempt to finish all forms and essential tasks in advance so that your time can be spent making your loved one feel as relaxed as possible and making their room feel like home.You’re probably to feel a mix of feelings on this day – relief that your family member is going to be getting the care they need, sadness that they are leaving their home, worry about if they will settle in okay. All of these sentiments are perfectly regular and understandable, but try and be as positive as possible to reassure your family member and help them to feel positive too.
We hope this overview has been helpful and given you some practical guidance on how to move your family member into a care home and make it a beneficial experience for everybody involved.
If you need any more help you can reach us here Beaucare Patient Care