How to Make Assisted and Senior Living Spaces more Charming
Most assisted living spaces pay attention to the comfort of the resident. If it is a space for seniors, the attention is paid on helping them in carrying out some of their daily activities – like preparing meals, using the bathroom in the middle of the night, maintaining the house, and traveling.
However, comfort is not the only important factor in these assisted living spaces. Since residents live in these facilities for a long period, these spaces also need to be a little personalized and perhaps have a couple of articles that not only assist the residents in their day-to-day routines but also brighten up their living spaces.
So here are seven ways to make assisted and senior living spaces more charming:
Put up a photo collage on the wall
One of the easiest ways to personalize a living space is to put up a collage of photos that hold special memories for the resident and put it up on the wall. Not only will it brighten up the room but also help the residents convert the space into a more personal touch that they will be more comfortable living in. The collage can either have photos of the residents or of their loved ones so that the senior residents do not miss their family, friends or relatives too much.
Bring in a big, leafy faux potted plant or a faux flowering shrub
Plants can make a room look lively and colorful. However, with residents who need assistance in their day-to-day activities, taking care of plants such as watering them, ensuring that they receive sufficient amount of sunlight, trimming them and other matters can be a time-consuming business. Also, in case the elderly forget to water the plants or if they suffer neglect, the plants can die. In such a situation, faux landscaping plants are the ideal solution to the problem. Big, leafy faux potted plants or even faux flowering plants can easily add color and brighten up a room. And the best part about it is that it will require negligible care. All that one has to do is wipe the leaves of the plant occasionally with a moist cloth. These plants will require no watering, no pruning, no fertilizer and will not even need sunlight. Also, there are a wide variety of faux plants to choose from in the market so the residents can choose the plant that they think suits the best for their room and personality.
Try using colorful printed cushions
Nobody can deny the comfort that a big, squishy cushion can provide. But instead of using cushions and pillows in boring pastel colors, why not try using printed cushion covers in soothing pastel colors? While cushions help to make people comfortable in their beds or seating areas, adding prints will increase the charm of space’s décor. Also, try investing in colorful cushion covers instead of cushions. That way, the cushion covers can frequently be changed and the residents would not get bored with the décor too soon. Not to mention that it would be a better financial decision to buy covers than buy new cushions every time we’re bored with the old cushions.
Invest in mood lights that help in relaxation
The first thought that comes to our minds when we say “mood lights” is a romantic dinner but these lights are more versatile than just inspiring cozy dinner dates. If adjusted properly, lights can change the look and feel of a look drastically. With the interplay of light and shadows that ceiling and mood lights produce, senior residents can easily switch the feel of the room from a boring space lit by a single light to a deeper and more interesting living space. Also, certain mood lights are extremely dim and help in the residents to relax. Not being too bright, they do not hurt the eye and can be used throughout the night even when the residents tuck in for the night. That way, not only will the elderly people not feel alone and scared at night, but the lights will also help them feel more comfortable with themselves at night.
Not to mention if the lights used are LED ones then not only will it make the room appear bigger, it will also save electricity and help in reducing power bills.
Introduce colors through wall papers, wall hanging or just paint a wall
Most assisted, and senior living spaces have neutral color tones that are soothing to the eye and that the residents will not find too jarring to their eyes. Even though it initially helps the residents not to feel uncomfortable with space as neutral colors are soothing, after some time, the color tones may seem boring to some. To change this and to bring in some charm into the home décor, we can try highlighting a wall. The wall can either be painted in a comparatively bright color or the residents’ favorite colors to bring in some extra bit of cheer into the home décor and to make space feel more acceptable to them. If such spaces do not allow for such changes in the room décor, one can always try put up a wall hanging. It will act as a highlight on the wall and instantly brighten up the room.
Bring in one eye-catching furniture or accessory
Showstoppers are not necessarily limited to the fashion industry. Bring in one lamp shade in eye-popping colours or, if the assisted and senior living facility allows it, put in a multi-colour armchair or a walker that will instantly become the showstopper of the room. With this, not only will the room become more charming, but the residents may even like the extra attention that such accessories are bound to draw.
Use mirrors to make the room feel bigger
Who doesn’t like to look into a mirror every now and then and admire themselves? If you think that such acts are limited to only teenagers and celebrities, you’ll stand corrected. Elderly people too like to check out their reflections and if there is a big mirror could be propped on the wall it will also make the room seem bigger. Also, if there are mood lights in the room, the presence of the mirror will multiply its effect. Since mirrors need little care and do not take up much space, it suitable for use in facilities offer living spaces to the assisted and the elderly people.
[et_bloom_inline optin_id=optin_5]
*This is a collaborative post*