Whether your loved one lives at home or in a memory care community, making minor adjustments to their living environment can positively impact their safety and comfort.
By following these five tips, you can create a safe and comfortable memory care environment at home. Tailor these suggestions to your family member’s specific needs.
Keep the Space Clean and Organized
Whether it’s a cabinet, drawer, or closet, ensure that the items inside are easy to find. Use pictures or signs to label where they are kept, especially if your loved one needs to remember where they put things.
You should also talk with your loved one about bringing some of their items, such as photos or mementos from their favorite places. These are often a great way to ease their transition into Memory Care, like the memory care at home San Diego CA, and help them feel more at home. Some Memory Care neighborhoods also encourage residents to bring a favorite chair or other furniture, an additional source of comfort and familiarity for their loved ones. This conversation should be made well before their move-in date to minimize any anxiety your loved one might have about it.
Create a Comfortable Environment
Comfortable environments can make a massive difference in residents’ and professional caregivers’ quality of life. For example, employees are less likely to work well in an uncomfortable workplace. This can hurt productivity, and if you are in charge of hiring and managing a team of professionals, it is in your best interests to provide them with the right environment to thrive.
When caring for people with dementia, a positive and comfortable environment can be the difference between a happy resident and one who feels unsafe or isolated. By creating a safe and comfortable memory care environment, you can improve the quality of life for your loved one and keep them engaged with the rest of your family.
Install a Baby Monitor
Installing a baby monitor in your memory care home can give residents a sense of security. It lets them know that they have someone watching over them and is also convenient for parents who may be out of the house.
Some baby monitors have remote viewing functions, like tilt and zoom. These features make it easier to fine-tune the camera’s viewing angle.
Position the screen three feet away from infants’ eyes to prevent them from seeing harmful radiation that can affect their growth and development. This is especially important for babies who are newborns, but it’s also a good idea to move the screen as your child grows.
Remove Clutter
Clutter is a significant safety concern for older adults. It can make it difficult for seniors to find items when they need them, and it can increase their risk of falling.
To prevent clutter from building up in your home, it’s vital to declutter regularly. Doing so can help reduce your senior’s stress and improve their quality of life.
Going through your loved one’s belongings together is an excellent way to start this process. This can be a great way to communicate how you plan to organize their space and allow them to say goodbye to no longer valuable items.
Keep the Lighting Bright
To reduce the risk of falls and improve residents’ sense of safety, it is essential to have good lighting throughout a memory care facility. It helps to minimize shadows, glare, and disorientation while also assisting residents to see what is in their path, enabling them to move more quickly.
In addition, lighting that mimics natural light can promote biological regulation by stimulating the circadian rhythm and releasing melatonin, the hormone that regulates regular sleep cycles. Studies have found that blue-white light during the day and dimmer yellow-white light in the evening can help to promote these effects.
Lighting also encourages social interaction, helping seniors to feel comfortable and engaged with their surroundings. Ensure that all furniture is arranged in a way that promotes this interaction.